Nicola Willis delivers election pitch to seniors

By CHRIS HARROWELL

National Party deputy lead- er Nicola Willis has delivered her party’s election pitch to several hundred residents at an east Auckland retirement complex.

Willis, who is also the party’s finance spokesperson, visited Pakuranga Park Village with Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown on July 7.

She praised Brown’s work in the electorate and told the audience he’s “extremely well respected in Wellington”.

“For such a young man he has one of the wisest heads in our caucus. He is a very good thinker about this country and its future and the policies we need.

“We need that right now, good thinking, because I think many of you will agree with me the country is in a bad way.”

Willis detailed New Zealand’s challenges and how National would address them should it be elected to Government at this year’s general election on October 14. She said the cost of living crisis has “dragged on to its third year”, with high inflation meaning prices have been rising faster that people’s incomes.

“I worry about those homeowners who have got big mortgages. They had to take on a big mortgage to get into this elevated housing market.

“They took on a loan with an interest rate of two or three per cent.

“Now that interest rate is six or seven per cent and they have to spend hundreds more as a family just to pay their mortgage.”

Willis said businesses are struggling due to the recession.

New Zealand’s “really significant” current account deficit shows the country is spending more in the world than it’s earning and its net debt has grown from $5.6 billion in 2019 to $73b now.

Kiwis need to ask what they have to show for the large debt