Hon Phil Goff
Leader of the Labour Party

28 May 2009 Media Statement

Budget fails to protect Kiwi jobs

Hardworking New Zealanders will be disappointed by the failure of John Key’s first Budget to set out a real plan to keep Kiwis in work, Labour Leader Phil Goff says.

“Today’s Budget should have been a Budget for jobs; it’s not,” Phil Goff says.

“The biggest challenge facing New Zealand’s economy is spiralling unemployment. Last week more than 1250 Kiwis joined the dole queues.

“National’s Budget will not stem the dramatic increase in job losses happening right now in New Zealand’s cities and towns.

“This Budget does not set out a coherent plan to keep Kiwis in work. It fails to take action for vulnerable New Zealanders on the brink of losing their jobs.

“It fails to adequately invest in skills training and investment to create new jobs, and fails to set out a clear path that will lift New Zealand out of the current economic downturn.

Phil Goff says the lack of cohesion between the Prime Minister and his Finance Minister over the primary focus for this Budget has failed to meet the real needs of New Zealanders.

“John Key’s focus should have been on jobs, not a credit rating downgrade which is a symptom of the problem. The need for economic growth, increasing exports and keeping people in productive work has not been addressed in this Budget,” Phil Goff says.

“Today’s Budget continues National’s poor track record on the jobs front. It’s ‘rhetoric over results’ approach has today continued and proves John Key’s priorities are wrong.

“John Key’s broken promise over tax cuts now means the most vulnerable New Zealanders will now get nothing from National’s tax cuts.

“John Key gave his personal guarantee to deliver tax cuts and today he broke that promise.

“John Key and Bill English, determined to buy the election, made the promise and didn’t care whether or not they could honour it.

“This isn’t a Budget for Kiwi battlers. It simply makes their struggle harder.

ENDS

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