17 May 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT

Budget confirms National’s jobs failure – and promises more of the same

Budget figures released yesterday show the Government knows it will fail to meet its 2011 election promise to New Zealanders of 170,000 new jobs, but amazingly it has repeated the promise for the next four years, Grant Robertson Labour Employment Spokesperson says.

“John Key promised New Zealanders that National would create 170,000 new jobs by 2015. Earlier this week Steven Joyce told Parliament he stood by that promise. But the figures in yesterday’s Budget tell another story. National will fall 58,000 jobs short of their promise - that’s not even close.

“That will come as no surprise to New Zealanders who have seen so many people lose their jobs in recent years. National’s focus on vested interests has left sustainable job creation on the side-line. In the year to March only 8,000 new jobs were created, and there is nothing in the Budget to suggest that record will improve.

“Yet National wants New Zealanders to believe that they will create 170,000 jobs over the next four years. That is the target they have set for 2017.

“The public is tired of these empty promises from National. Their two-speed economy where their mates get richer will not deliver an economy that will generate quality jobs for New Zealanders.

“Labour’s plan will reshape our economy so that it’s focused on building and creating jobs, not just trading and selling. We’ll change monetary policy to favour job generating exporters, we’ll create a tax system that favours the productive economy over speculation and we will back companies through R and D Tax Credits and strong support for skills and training.

“These are the kinds of initiatives that will create jobs. Sadly yesterday’s Budget gave little or no hope that National has any commitment to creating jobs - let alone meeting their own promises,” Grant Robertson said.

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