New Zealand’s most divisive populist politico, Winston Peters, insists it is not anti-Australian for him to call out Aussie-owned banks and supermarkets for ripping off Kiwi consumers over the ditch.
“Numerous inquiries Australian-owned banks ripping off Australian customers to the tune of billions and billions of dollars ... I believe that that’s happening in this country,” Peters said in an interview. He did not provide specific evidence to back the claim.“We don’t have to reinvent the boomerang. We should pay attention to what’s been done in Australia and do it here ... it’s not anti-Australian at all. It is in this sense, perhaps learning something back in our country about it.
Less than 10 days until the election, polling has the party in a comfortable position to return to parliament, while the centre-right opposition National Party, led by Chris Luxon, is on track to dislodge the incumbent Chris Hipkins Labour government from the Beehive. He did not say how NZ First would address the issue beyond holding further inquiries, however one of the party’s 36 election promises is to remove goods and services tax from fresh food, vegetables, meat, dairy and fish.
New Zealand businesses was already under way, while the NZ Commerce Commission only recently conducted a probe into the supermarket sector. , adding that the company’s profits were in line with global retailers. As for banking, Duffy said it was hard to ignore that New Zealanders paid a lot more for home lending than in Australia.“There’s a going around that Australian consumers simply wouldn’t accept the rates being offered here in New Zealand. Well, New Zealand consumers don’t really have any choice because it’s a more consolidated market.