The REAL Party believes that the Natural Dividend will increase the income of those currently poor. This will expand the local market and jobs will be created filling the needs of New Zealanders. Initially there will probably be some inflation. Inflation is seen as one of the balancing factors in the economy without which prices cannot adjust as our values change. Higher prices make wages cheaper compared to other production inputs and encourage increased production to be labour intensive. The buying power of wages falls as prices rise but the incomes of workers will be maintained by the Natural Dividend so the pressure to increase wages will be reduced.

There is no reason why a weeks work has to be of the same value as, or of greater value than, the value of the things people need to sustain life for a week. The things we need to sustain life contain considerable resource input. Labour adds to the value of the resource input but does not create all the value. It is the attempt to tie these two independent values together which distorts our economy. The Resource Taxes and Natural Dividend seperate the resource value of production and allow people to purchase that without labour. This is appropriate since it was not created by labour.

People may choose not to be in paid employment. This will reduce GNP but only because more of the goods and services are being produced in the 'informal' economy and cannot be measured.

A REAL government would introduce the Natural Dividend as soon as possible. It is hoped that this could quickly be sufficient to supplement the unemployment benefit so that the unemployed had a reasonable income. If there are unavoidable administrative delays of the implementation of the Natural Dividend then other means would be sought to restore the incomes of the unemployed to the level they would have reached if the unemployment benefit had been fully inflation adjusted and if the National government had not cut the unemployment benefit. The unemployment benefit would be raised if this was found to be the best temporary method. The unemployment benefit would be regarded as a temporary substitute for a more substantial rightful income and would therefore be administered with increased generosity and flexibility.

The REAL Party believes that the unemployment benefit will cease to exist as people find they are able to create their own paid or unpaid work using the Natural Dividend to buy materials and to supplement their income. It is not expected to be necessary to abolish it. It should just fade away. It may be necessary to adjust the way 'income' is measured to prevent its continuation after it has ceased to be needed.

Our vision is not of a future working ever harder and faster wasting resources on meaningless products to tickle the jaded appetites of the rich as our opponents offer you. Our vision is of a world where you can choose from a range of lifestyle options including: a simple self-sufficient life style either as an individual or working co-operatively and voluntarily creating peace and beauty with your community; a challenging life bringing out the best of yourself, your fellow workers and the most advanced technology in a competitive export industry; a creative life developing your artistic or craft talents and anything in between or beyond that you can imagine you might achieve with your own talents, inclinations and skills and a small secure income to buy materials and fill the gaps. The REAL Party values diversity.