John Key and Phil Goff have clashed over the economy, asset sales and the pension age as they and other political leaders fronted up to a business conference in Wellington.
The National Party leader put the case for his Government to get a second term, arguing it has provided strong, stable leadership in difficult times.
[image:3564:half:right]John Key told the Deloitte-Business NZ election conference on Monday that National will get the books back into surplus in three years time - while Labour doesn't have any fiscal credibility.
"Labour is a party without a plan. Instead they have a collection of election gimmicks and slogans like 'GST off bananas' - all of which comes with a hefty price tag.
John Key said Labour would load extra costs on to business, with a higher minimum wage, a capital gains tax, a more expensive KiwiSaver and what he called a 1970s style industrial relations policy.
When Phil Goff took to the stage just moments after John Key, he took aim at National's plan for partial asset sales, saying once an asset is sold, a dividend stream is lost.
"Don't forget that dividend stream last year was $900 million. Where does that go John? It goes, as you told me in Parliament, into schools and to hospitals."
[image:3565:half:right]Answering reporters' questions after his speech, Phil Goff said Labour had an economic plan but Mr Key had sat back on the sidelines and watched the economy deteriorate.
"We've got a plan to get investment money going into productive industry, not speculative, and getting the savings so we can own our own future."
Mr Goff said Labour is prepared to take the tough decisions, such as raising the pension age.
Mr Key was adamant that National's plan means it can afford to keep the pension age at 65.
Asset sale money 'could go into Kiwibank'
Mr Key also revealed that some of the money raised by partial asset sales could be pumped into Kiwibank.
At his party's campaign launch he announced that the $5 - $7 billion National estimates it can raise by selling minority stakes in some state assets would be used to create a Future Investment Fund.
John Key said on Monday that freeing up that money would give a National-led Government the option to do things it might not otherwise have done, such as investing capital into Kiwibank.
"The board of New Zealand Post has been floating that option for some time now, that they may need a capital injection, particularly if they want to expand into the SME sector.
"So, we're not ruling that out. It's definitely a possibility."
John Key repeated his commitment to retaining Kiwibank in public ownership.
Sustainability 'a business opportunity'
Green Party co-leader Russel Norman had his eye on the big picture, telling the audience the world's population on Monday ticked past seven billion and there are real limits on what the planet can support.
He said sustainability was, in fact, a huge business opportunity for New Zealand.
Dr Norman reaffirmed the Greens' commitment to a capital gains tax - something United Future leader Peter Dunne rejects outright.
Mr Dunne said United Future would act as a restraint on National on its asset sales policy which he said New Zealanders were not comfortable about.
United Future would oppose the sale of some assets, in particular Kiwibank, Radio New Zealand and water.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said his party would support policies that helped build New Zealand's manufacturing base but would not give the corporate sector a blank cheque.
"Many people... despise a corporate sector that's quick to take profits but when things go bad ducks for cover or tries to socialise losses with taxpayer bail-outs," Mr Peters said.
Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly wrapped up the session after speeches from seven party leaders saying it was clear there was the starkest difference in policy positions between the parties in 20 years.
