Labour leader Fartoomuchpressure met with supporters at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington to give his final speech of the campaign before tomorrow’s election.

“Thank you all for coming here this evening. Your support throughout this campaign has been heartwarming and has kept me in good spirits throughout the past week. This has been a hard-fought campaign, three parties currently vie for the top spot. I believe that Labour will be the largest party after this election and will be the major party in any coalition. I can make no guarantees about what the election will deliver us but I can present to you my vision for a progressive left-wing government. The last four polls have shown a Labour-Greens coalition, with the addition of independent candidate TARDIS40TT, to have a majority in parliament. The most recent of these shows us with seven seats to the opposition’s four. It is likely that the three of us will be able to form a government.

“Labour, of course, will be the largest component of this government. Our policies will form the largest part of the government’s programme. Over the course of this campaign Labour have announced a number of policies that we hope to implement over the next term. Labour’s policies are built on a firm belief in forward-thinking, sustainable plans for the future.

“The first of these is our education. We believe that every New Zealander should have the option of tertiary education. The biggest problem facing tertiary students is the massive size of living costs, which make it difficult for students to afford university without large, stressful workloads or significant debt once they leave university. Labour will increase the student allowance, first by $50 from 2018 and secondly by $50 from 2021. We will also remove the parental income deduction, which will make the student allowance worthwhile for all students. We will scale back Labour’s previous plan for three free years of tertiary education to one year.

“Labour’s plan for transport involves promoting public transport and making cities more inviting for pedestrians and cyclists. We will build light rail across Auckland, as well as put money into public transport in Wellington and Christchurch. Labour will build a passenger rail network to connect the golden triangle of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. Throughout the country, we will fund community projects to make walking and cycling easier in our cities. As the world shifts away from the petrol car, New Zealand under a Labour Government will be ready.

“Labour will reform New Zealand’s criminal justice system, changing it to focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. We will raise the youth courts age from 17 to 20. We will give prisoners back the vote. We will repeal the Bail Amendment Act 2013, which will lower the prison population by 1,500 and save over $100 million. We will increase the number of Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment Courts from 2 to 7. This will be a more efficient allocation of resources, as they have proven to reduce reoffending much more than regular imprisonment. The “tough on crime” approach of past governments has not worked. Labour will not continue the failures of the past.

“Through our new program Kiwibuild, we will build 100,000 affordable homes across New Zealand. We will restore the dream of homeownership for all New Zealanders. We will improve the rights of renters. We will return Housing New Zealand to its original purpose, rather than profiting off New Zealanders. Additionally, Labour is committed to ending homelessness in New Zealand. All of this will give New Zealanders safe, healthy and secure housing. Under the current system, one of the fundamental rights of human beings is being slowly reduced to its bare minimum. We cannot let this continue. Labour will protect the rights of all New Zealanders and guarantee housing.

“Labour will also make our tax system fairer. We will implement a 25% corporate capital gains tax and tax personal capital gains as regular income. This will restore balance to our tax system, as currently, the burden falls too much on low-income families. Labour will create two new income tax brackets, for income below $6,000, which will be tax-free and income about $140,000 which will be taxed at 40%. Labour will create a 2% Land Value Tax, which will also bring balance to the tax system. We will also create a Basic Necessities Exemption for GST, which will allow low-income families to afford the most basic items. These changes to the tax system will shift the burden away from lower-income families and towards higher income earners, who are presently taxed at too lightly. It will also generate billions of dollars of new revenue, which Labour will promptly put to work improving New Zealand’s infrastructure. Under the current system, huge areas in New Zealand have been neglected. We cannot keep going the way things are. Labour’s tax plan will be a net gain for the vast majority of New Zealanders, and in the long term, the additional spending will return many times more.

“Labour is committed to keeping the age of Superannuation at 65. In 2008, the National Party used the Global Financial Crisis as an excuse to suspend contributions to the superannuation fund, yet now, nines years later when we are supposed to believe that we have recovered, they say that they cannot afford to keep the age at 65. Labour will recommence contributions to the superannuation fund, and prepare for the rising cost of superannuation. National’s plan to scale back super is unsustainable. They say it is unfair to put the burden on today’s taxpayers, who will have to pay for the previous generations. If this is their view, then they must agree that superannuation is not possible for future generations. Labour will not let yesterday’s leaders scurry away and pull the ladder up behind them. We can afford superannuation. That is what taxes are for. Today’s taxpayers will reap the benefits of their contribution when they receive superannuation during their retirement. National would rather give tax cuts now and remove that security for future generations. That is not sustainable. That is selfish, entitled thinking.

“Another area which Labour is committed to improving is health. Labour will put $8 billion into health over the next four years. We will lower the cost of GP visits, allowing New Zealanders to better look after their health. We will provide free mental health care by increasing resources for frontline health workers. We will put a doctor in every secondary school, to help improve mental health in our schools. Labour will fund and support healthy eating for children.

“The Labour Party recognises that Climate Change is one of the biggest existential threats to New Zealand the entire world. We are a small nation in the middle of nowhere, but that is no excuse to shirk our responsibilities. We can be a world leader in the fight against climate change. We will set a target of net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with legally binding emissions reduction targets, and carbon budgets to keep New Zealand on track to this goal. We will establish an independent Climate Commission to recommend interim emissions reduction targets. We will restore the Emissions Trading Scheme and bring agriculture into the ETS by the end of our first term aiming for with 90% of emissions free. We will not just set targets. There is not time to look at lofty targets and hope. Labour will ensure that we reach those targets.

“I could go on all night about our policies. Our policies are numerous, complicated and extensive. Our plan will not happen overnight, it will take years to implement. This is not an issue, however, our plan is forward-thinking and sustainable. We aren’t after quick fixes, we’re after well thought out plans that look forward several decades. There’s no point chasing short-sighted, politically-expedient policies when these will not work several years down the line.

“When you go to vote tomorrow, I ask you to be bold. We do not need to sit around and watch our economy slowly plod along. There are problems that need fixing. We will always be faced with problems and it is absurd to suggest that we have solved everything. Labour is committed to recognising areas that need attention and fixing our nation’s problems. A vote for Labour is a vote for a stable, bold, progressive government. A vote for Labour is a vote for a forward-thinking, hard-working government. A vote for Labour is a vote for the future. A future not just for the wealthy and privileged but for all New Zealanders. A vote for Labour is a vote for a Future For All!”