10 December 2004

Hon Matt Robson MP, Progressive Deputy Leader

ANZ report good fifth birthday present for coalition

Today's ANZ November report on job advertisements in major newspapers, which are up a staggering 14.4 percent from a year ago, highlights yet again the importance to the economy of the government's investment in workers' skills, training and apprenticeship programmes, says Progressive MP Matt Robson.

"One of the most important aspects of the economic development strategy of the progressive government over the past five years has been the significant increased investment we are making in apprenticeships and in the other infrastructure that companies need in order to meet their potential," Matt Robson said.

The minority progressive coalition government is today celebrating the fifth anniversary since it was sworn into office and Matt Robson said the ANZ Bank report is a good birthday gift.

"Over half a million Kiwis left our shores over the last few decades. In the past five years we've been working hard to attract Kiwis back home so they can put their talents to use in New Zealand, but there is more we can do.

"The Progressive Party, in particular, is campaigning to meet student loan repayments for each year worked in New Zealand after graduation because student debt forces too many to flee New Zealand, and we are campaigning to make our company tax rate more competitive against our trading partners.

"Employers everywhere say that the shortage of skilled labour is their Number One constraint on growth at the moment and the government is playing a big role to fix that constraint," he said.

The ANZ Job Ads report for November today found that the seasonally adjusted number of job advertisements placed in the major newspapers throughout New Zealand increased 1.9 percent to 34,848 in November, taking the series 14.4 percent above the level prevailing a year earlier. The trend has taken advertising levels to record highs.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

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