Chris Hipkins says if elected, he would be the country's most experienced prime minister in a generation. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
Labour's leader has taken aim at the government's new pay equity changes in a pre-Budget speech.
Chris Hipkins spoke at an event in Wellington on Tuesday morning organised by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and policy specialists Allen + Clarke.
Hipkins started his speech acknowledging recent protests across the country following the changes.
The law was pushed though under urgency last week, increasing the threshold for when a claim can be brought. It also reset 33 claims that were under negotiation.
Hipkins also raised concerns about the government's tax cuts, cancelling the previous government's smokefree legislation and tax deductibility changes.
Hipkins said that there were alternative choices.
"They are choosing austerity, choosing decline, choosing division. But we in Labour are choosing a different path - a better path, a fairer path."
He said the government needed to properly fund services such as police, health, education and aged care in the Budget.
He also wanted to see how the Budget would properly fund these and for it to provide a plan for the future.
"We want New Zealand to be a place where our best and brightest don't just want to stay - but can stay."
He acknowledged that Labour wanted to see a "fairer tax system".
"You'll hear more from us on that soon."
In a question-and-answer after the speech, Hipkins said the previous Labour government and the coalition government should have pushed harder to keep the America's Cup in New Zealand.
He also highlighted concerns the ACT Party was commanding too much control over the government.
He said if his party was to be elected next year, he would be the most experienced prime minister in a generation.
A recruiter in Wellington said young people were losing sight of opportunities in New Zealand. In response, Hipkins said the government needed to "unleash public investment".
He said a lot of innovations that people use today were funded by the public.
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