Democracy HQ A personal view, by Steve Morris

Inflation, or ‘Robflation' as I call it, is quietly eroding New Zealand's wealth. With a 32-year high inflation rate, our money's value has shrunk by seven per cent in just one year.

The 2023 ‘No Frills' Budget, which pledged to confront the cost-of-living, will only add fuel to the inflationary fire.

Food prices have soared by 12.5 per cent, rents have escalated by 10 per cent, and mortgage interest payments haven't finished trending upward. Finance Minister Grant Robertson, perhaps more aptly known as the ‘Minister of Inflation', has been unable to curb government spending.

Robertson seems to believe it's the Reserve Bank's job to curb this inflationary tide alone. But it isn't. In the words of Ruth Richardson: 'Monetary policy needs mates”. Mates like good fiscal policy, or in other words, more disciplined Government spending. Unfortunately, in the current political landscape, Robertson has no mates.

Instead, he's only got enemies, from his colleagues, clamouring for increased spending, and potential coalition partners, such as the Greens and Te Pāti Māori, advocating for even more spending and red tape in their misguided attempt to turn New Zealand into some sort of second-rate, lentil-eating ethnostate.

The cost of Robertson's failure to control fiscal policy is borne by everyday New Zealanders, many of whom backed Labour in 2020. Yet, rather than acknowledging their part, Robertson deflects, framing inflation as a global dilemma beyond his command.

But let's be clear: inflation is not inevitable or uncontrollable. It is equally the outcome of flawed policies and decisions Labour's choice to funnel billions into poorly-conceived schemes that have failed to stimulate the economy or generate jobs has been a major factor.

Kiwis are paying the price for ill-disciplined government spending and policies. We deserve mates in the Beehive that tackle inflation, a massive part of the cost-of-living crisis.