The Opposition has labelled Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's first State of the Nation speech as a "buffet of buzzwords" and one claim in particular as "nonsense".
Luxon spoke of his vision for Aotearoa on Sunday, promising to be "straight up" with Kiwis about the "fragile" state of the nation.
"We've lurched from challenge to crisis - a global pandemic, conflict overseas and natural disasters. But those external crises have masked a more fundamental challenge," he said.
"We were badly let down by a broken and distracted Government."
He also claimed the previous Government had a "$200 billion gap" between its promised transport projects and funding set aside for it.
You can read or watch Luxon's full speech here.
Labour Party reacts
Following Luxon's speech, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said Luxon's $200b transport shortfall claim was "nonsense".
"If we have a $200 billion hole, their hole is much bigger," he said.
Hipkins also criticised Luxon's vision for the country.
"I believe that the current Government are doing everything that they can to make the country more fragile, to make New Zealand a more divided place, and to make the vulnerable in our communities more isolated."
Green Party reacts
Greens co-leader Marama Davidson said Luxon's speech was a "buffet of buzzwords".
"Christopher Luxon is obsessed with cutting, cancelling, and disestablishing things but he has no plan to build, invest, or create a better Aotearoa," she said.
She took aim at the Government's planned changes to benefits, which could see thousands more children slip into poverty, according to official advice.
Davidson also said Luxon was "complaining" rather than "proposing solutions" for issues like climate change and poverty.
"He didn't mention Te Tiriti o Waitangi, presumably because he knows the social division being sown by his coalition partners is harmful and unpopular."
