Paul Goldsmith - Economic and Regional Development

18 December 2018

Shane Jones has admitted he has no idea how many jobs have actually been filled to date as a result of the hundreds of millions spent so far on the Provincial Growth Fund, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“He’s happy to fling large number around like 4000 more jobs – today he made up a new figure of 7000 – but when pushed on what jobs actually exist today, he waffles.

“The real question is what actually are we getting for all this spending from a $3 billion fund other than vainglorious pomposity from this Minister.

“It is outrageous that the Labour-led Government’s junior partner is allowed to continue with such a blatant pork barrelling exercise with so little attempt at basic accountability.

“Many of the jobs Mr Jones points to are short-term consultancy fees for the multitude of feasibility studies he’s commissioned. We have no way of knowing how much it’s costing taxpayers per actual job.

“The word around the Beehive is that the Minister’s own officials cringe each time he makes new claims about the benefits of the fund. They’re put in a difficult position if they know there’s no basis for his unreliable assertions.

“It is hard to recall any minister in living memory who has shown such contempt for taxpayers while overseeing such a massive bucket of loosely controlled cash.

“This Government inherited a strong economy with plenty of momentum but seems determined to fritter that away with wasteful spending funded by more taxes. National wants Kiwis to keep more of what they earn and will keep the cost of living down through lower taxes and sensible spending.”

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