David Shearer
Labour Leader

23 October 2012

Key all talk no action on jobs for Kiwis

It is telling that all the Prime Minister can do is talk about Labour’s ideas for creating jobs and training opportunities when he’s challenged on his own lack of action and failure to give Kiwis a reason to stay in New Zealand, says Labour Leader David Shearer.

“John Key promised to stop the exodus to Australia when he came to power. But he’s done nothing. In fact, it’s at record highs with more than 1000 Kiwis a week heading across the Tasman.

“In Parliament today I asked him what he’d done to stem the flow. He had no answers.

“I asked John Key why he hadn’t acted on the 2009 Jobs Summit recommendation to require businesses that win government contracts to take on apprentices. He had no answers.

“I asked John Key why just $7 million of $42 million set aside to train Kiwis with the skills needed for the Christchurch rebuild had been used. He had no answers.

“New Zealanders are disappointed that all they’re getting from the Prime Minister is one-liners and cheap shots. They expect him to have answers and to deliver on his promises.

“Labour will take a hands-on approach to job creation. We’ve already set out some concrete steps we will take in Government to increase training opportunities and to ensure that Kiwis have access to decent jobs.

“John Key and his political ally Peter Dunne are so busy flinging around insults that they’re missing the point. Kiwis want to work. They’re crying out for jobs. But this Government is content to sit back and watch more people join the dole queue or head for Australia.

“I’m not prepared to settle for that. I want us to work harder to up-skill our own workforce. I want to encourage the 17,000 tradies and technicians who’ve left for Australia to come home because we need them for the Christchurch rebuild. I want us to do all we can to get the 84,000 young Kiwis who are not in work or education into training or jobs.

“I won’t apologise for being proud of New Zealand and for wanting to give Kiwis the first crack at jobs and the opportunity to get ahead so they make their lives here rather than in Australia,” says David Shearer.

ENDS

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