Brian Tamaki has revealed how he would spend the massive Government surplus if he controlled the books.
The Destiny Church leader and husband of Vision NZ political party leader Hannah Tamaki says the $7.5 billion Government surplus would be spent on his "empowering parents package" if he had his hands on the cash.
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He revealed his thoughts on Twitter on Wednesday alongside an image of Hannah and the political party's campaign manager Jevan Goulter.
"Evry married couple gets $5000 in their Kiwi saver (Compulsary) Every Baby born $2000 by Gov..$20 wk by parents..drawn when 16yrs old..Break Generational Poverty..No deposit House (sic)," Tamaki tweeted.
"Coudnt fit all details to my "Empowering Parents Package" in last Tweet..More detail frm VisionNZ release.Its th only way we "Interrupt Generational Poverty" and Get All Kiwi Families into Wealth Creation..Our Children must be Born into Asset not Deficit..VNZ (sic)."
If every couple married in 2018 were given $5000, it would cost the Government more than $100 million. There were 58,020 births last year, costing $116 million if Tamaki's package had been law.
But the idea wasn't positively received on Twitter.
"So tough shit for people who are single? And does your 5k contribution also include same sex couples who are married? If Johnny X has a disability and can't find love or doesn't understand the principles of marriage but is happily living with his partner - no 5k for them?" one person said.
"And the elderly can just battle on. They will be gone soon anyway," said another.
Former Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash has called for the money to be used to create structural change and to combat infrastructure problems. While economist Shamubeel Eaqub has put state housing and roads up as two areas he believes should be given more money. Finance Minister Grant Robertson says how the money will be spent will be discussed next year.
The Tamakis' political party was officially announced in May, with conservative family values stressed as a key aspect of their ideology. Hannah said at the time that in taking the role as party leader, she would draw from her experience as a wife.
"I stand here as a Māori woman and a Christian. I stand here as a wife of 39 years, with 40 years of experience helping thousands of New Zealanders through the ministry that I have built alongside my husband, Brian."
The party was initially revealed to be called Coalition NZ, but that was dismissed by the Electoral Commission as likely to confuse voters due to the word coalition often used to refer to as an alliance of parties.
The name Vision NZ was announced last week and is currently before the commission.
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