25 January 2013

Key’s Speech Shows No Vision For New Zealand

New Zealanders will be left underwhelmed by John Key’s excuse-making and visionless ‘state of the nation’ speech, Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.

“Four years ago, Mr Key was promising a brighter future; today’s he’s making faded old excuses and defending his failure on jobs,” said Mrs Turei.

“Blaming his failure on jobs and the economy on the previous government just doesn’t cut it after four years. It’s past time for Mr Key to take responsibility for his own record.

“It’s also no longer credible for Mr Key to blame his economic failures on the rest of the world when unemployment is rising here while it is steady or falling in most developed countries.

“Repeating the same old policies that have failed to create jobs in the last four years and calling it a plan for success will fool no-one. Kiwis are right to expect results, not just empty promises.

“It’s clear from this speech that the Key government has run out of steam. Mr Key is reduced making snide remarks about other parties’ affordable housing plans and threatening local councils, rather than presenting any new ideas of his own,” said Mrs Turei.

Mrs Turei noted that Mr Key’s apprenticeship announcement comes after the number of people in modern apprenticeships fell from 12,933 in 2009 to 10,434 by the end of 2011.

“For four years, John Key has let the number of young people in modern apprenticeships fall and let the industries that employ apprenticeships decline. Today’s announcement is too little, too late,” said Mrs Turei.

“Since the first earthquake, the Greens have been saying that we will need to train more construction and building workers. For two years, National did nothing. Ten thousand New Zealanders with the specialist skills we need to rebuild Christchurch left our country in that time.

“It’s good that National has finally realised its mistake, but New Zealand needs a much more comprehensive vision to put a dent in the fundamental problems facing our country.

“New Zealanders will read Mr Key’s speech today and ask: is that it? It is now clear that National has neither the vision nor the energy to deliver the real change that New Zealand needs. Only Green policies such as our Home for Life package can deliver New Zealanders the sustainable and prosperous future that they deserve,” said Mrs Turei.

ENDS

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Scoop Business: Bathurst Gets Nod For DoC Access To Denniston Mine

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents.

The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would have required public consultation.

The announcement lands in the middle of delicate negotiations between the company, environmental groups and other interested parties that could pave the way to a broader agreement on the Escarpment proposal, whose resource consents are still subject to court appeals. More>>