The Government has launched a “new public information campaign” to help New Zealanders save money.
The campaign ‘Find Money in Weird Places’ is a partnership between EECA’s Warmer Kiwi Homes and Consumer NZ, with support from the Electricity Authority.
Minister Megan Woods said “these ideas aren’t new – but they are meaningful to families. Small steps can add up to savings that make a real difference.”
The Government wants the public to “check your power plan is most suited to your needs, operate your heat pump efficiently, shorten your showers, change your washing machine settings to a cold wash, and switch off your appliances when you are not using them.”
‘Find Money in Weird Places’ is featuring on television, at bus stops and malls, on social media and in print across Winter 23.
Over the coming months a brochure with supporting tips will be delivered to around 500,000 households that receive the Winter Energy Payment.
National’s Chris Bishop said “not content with worsening inflation with its reckless spending, Labour is now lecturing New Zealanders to turn the heating down and to have shorter showers to beat the cost-of-living crisis.”
He said “Kiwis need some leadership not a lecture. On the same day, the Reserve Bank hiked interest rates to fight Grant Robertson’s wasteful spending, it’s been revealed the Government will spend taxpayers’ money lecturing Kiwis to turn their heat pump down and to have shorter showers.
“The Government has called its campaign “Finding Money in Weird Places”. Clearly this campaign shows one weird place Labour could find some savings would be its own bloated bureaucracy.
“If Chris Hipkins really cared about the cost of living, he would be reining in his Government’s wasteful spending. Instead Kiwis are getting a lecture. It’s arrogant and pathetic.
“It’s incredible that even while Labour tells Kiwis it’s not wasting a cent of taxpayers’ money, it will spend millions on a nationwide advertising campaign telling Kiwis struggling with the cost-of-living crisis to shower less.
“National will fix the economy so we can lower the cost-of-living. We’ll rein in wasteful spending and let Kiwis keep more of what they earn.”
ACT Leader David Seymour said “Labour is launching a nationwide campaign to lecture people to have shorter showers on the same day its reckless economic policies have added $2,500 to a half million dollar mortgage over the next two years.”
“Labour’s out-of-control spending created the cost of living crisis in late 2021 and now it has the gall, 18 months later, to tell people to turn their appliances off. Do they think New Zealanders are stupid?
“It’s like a burglar coming back to a house they’ve robbed to tell their victim how to stay safe.
“The level of gaslighting is off the charts.
“This is going to be a nationwide campaign featuring on TV, social media, print, on bus stops, and in malls. It will tell people to switch off appliances at the wall when they’re not using them and to shorten their showers to five minutes.
“Every New Zealander is going to get a chance to see how condescending and out of touch this Government is.
“Grant Robertson just cost a family with a half million dollar mortgage $2,500 over the next two years and his colleague Megan Woods is now handing out tips on how to save $500.
“For a family with a half million-dollar mortgage, a 0.25 per cent interest rate hike will cost them $24 a week, or $1,250 a year.
“New Zealanders should be livid that not only are Labour’s reckless economic policies pushing the cost of everything through the roof, it’s also running a condescending campaign telling them they can save a few bucks them to have shorter showers.”
