Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Budget needs a vision for jobs, not a focus on the deficit

11 May 2011

The Budget needs a vision for jobs, not a focus on the deficit

The Prime Minister’s speech today on the Budget gives no vision of how the government will attack the continuing high unemployment with 155,000 people out of work. Instead it looks back to the 1990s when unemployment was high, assets were sold off, the country fell away against Australia and the average wage rose only 7 percent in real terms over the whole decade.

Richard Wagstaff, the Vice-President of the CTU said “The deficit is not the most urgent problem. New Zealand’s government debt is low in international terms, and can be addressed when growth returns. In the meantime the priority needs to be getting people backing into work and rebuilding Christchurch.”

“New Zealand also needs an active programme to develop the economy for the future. The government seems to think cutting government spending and restructuring government departments is a substitute for an economic strategy.”

Australia’s Budget yesterday had a focus on jobs, despite the far better employment situation there with only 4.9 percent unemployment which is expected to fall further. The government there announced a National Workforce Development Fund designed to create 130,000 training places over the next four years.

“New Zealand is in a quite different situation with high unemployment. Cutting government spending is the wrong priority and boosting jobs and education is the right one.” said Wagstaff.

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.