The many thousands of jobs Jacinda Ardern’s Government promised New Zealanders its initiatives would create looks more like a pipedream than reality, National’s Employment spokesperson Louise Upston says.

“The Government promised 20,000 jobs would be created as a result of its shovel-ready projects. But through Written Parliamentary Questions it doesn’t look like that will be the case.

“11,740 FTEs is a far cry from the promised 20,000 jobs. There’s also no way to tell how many of these are new, sustainable jobs, or just more consultants and existing jobs.

“While the Government has shovelled billions of taxpayer dollars into schemes supposedly aimed at supporting people into jobs, not enough is being done to make sure this funding actually delivers new jobs.

“The so-called jobs plan Labour promised New Zealanders is just more hot air. There have been many promises of jobs and plans, but hardly any have been created.

“The Prime Minister promised the extended flexi-wage scheme would be in place by Christmas to help business owners to take on workers over the holiday period. That didn’t happen.

“The $50 million Māori trades and training fund has only delivered four jobs. And the employment ‘action plans’ for Māori, Pasifika, women and jobseekers are still on the drawing board.

“Labour’s inability to deliver is hurting New Zealanders who want to work.

“While government investment in infrastructure does have a role to play in New Zealand’s Covid recovery, Labour isn’t doing enough to make sure its promised jobs are materialising in return for the billions of dollars being spent.

“There are almost 200,000 New Zealanders without work, the Government needs to be taking more decisive and focused steps to help get Kiwis into work and back on their own two feet.”

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