Falling Employment Will Be Hallmark Of Cullen’s Reign

Falling employment in the March quarter acknowledged by Michael Cullen this morning will be a hallmark of his reign as Finance Minister, according to ACT Employment Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman.

Government’s policy platform of hiking up taxes, re-nationalising ACC and introducing a radical new industrial relations system has already seen a massive dive in business confidence with businesses saying the climate Government is creating is anti-jobs.

Dr Newman said the recent Household Labour Force Survey showed jobs disappearing under the Labour/Alliance Government. Between December 1998 and March 1999 17,000 jobs were created. The latest figures showed that in the same period this year there had been a huge turn around with the loss of 6,000 full time equivalent jobs.

“The only way to raise employment levels is for Government to have ‘business friendly’ policies that encourage and support businesses to grow and take on more staff. This Government is doing exactly the opposite,” she said.

Dr Cullen this morning tried to signal to businesses that they had been through the worst of Government’s anti-business policies. However, Muriel Newman said there’s no way Government can ‘build bridges to the business community’ when businesses are also facing the Alliance’s paid parental leave and Labour’s ‘wacky’ equal employment legislation.

“The Government has been given a strong message from the country’s major businesses like Carter Holt Harvey, who are the real job creators, that their policies are driving investment and talent off shore,” she said.

“The signs are already there that under this Government New Zealand may be facing its worst exodus of businesses leaving our shores, when they go so too will jobs,” said Muriel Newman.

ENDS

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