How’d’ya like them apples, Jacinda? After five years of politely enduring constant sniping and cattiness from his New Zealand counterpart, Australian PM Scott Morrison has lobbed a big ol’ return serve right across the Tasman.
You think things are bad in Australia, Morrison says? Just be thankful you’re not living in Aoteanorthkorea.
In an interview regarding the rise in living costs in Australia, Morrison admitted it was a concern but suggested Aussies were lucky they weren’t living in neighbouring countries, including New Zealand.
New Zealand’s inflation levels surged to 6.9 per cent, while Australia’s is at 5.1 per cent.
In a direct challenge to The Project-watching luvvies who’ve been wittering for years about “moving to New Zealand” (about as convincingly as American slebs promising to move to Canada), Morrison points out that Jacindastan isn’t looking so healthy, right now.
“Now, when you look around the world, there are few places that people would rather be than right here in Australia. And the reason for that is, is the way we’ve steered this country through one of our most difficult times” […]
Morrison’s comments come as it was revealed low income earners in this country are spending an entire day’s pay on their weekly commuting costs, according to a union.
According to figures in April, the New Zealand median weekly rent was up 7 per cent annually to $575 per week in March. In Auckland, rents increased by 3 per cent annually to $610 per week.
But, but… Jacinda saved New Zealand from Covid!
Except… right now, NZ is in the top five countries for new cases per population, and at 11th for new deaths per population, 20 spots ahead of Australia at 31st.
In return Kiwis have been gifted an economy so stuffed that they can actually save quite a lot money by buying groceries from Australia and shipping them across the ditch.
What’s Ardern’s solution?
In response to the rising costs of living, Ardern said in April she acknowledges “it’s hard now”, but believes a swathe of increases to benefits, superannuation and student support which has kicked in, will benefit 1.4 million people and make a difference […]
She said the fuel excise cuts and public transport subsidies were among steps already taken to address inflation in New Zealand.
So, cutting taxes and beefing up bennies and subsidies? Well, it’s a unique approach, I guess.
Add to that a PM who is increasingly living in fairy-dust land.
Asked if she would go to the election next year making the case that her New Zealand was a kinder, better, place than it was four years ago, Ardern said she would.
On the other hand, Kiwis are voting with their feet.
In March, ANZ economists predicted about 20,000 New Zealanders a year will leave for Australia, adding to already “insatiable” demand in New Zealand’s labour market.
NZ Herald
Meanwhile, Scott Morrison is clearly enjoying serving up a nice, cold dish of “right back at ya” to the cry-bully mean girl of the South Pacific.