Are you really Committed to Local Employment, Mr Banks?

“If John Banks is so committed to jobs for Aucklanders as he has been stating publicly over the last few days, he should tell the ratepayers of Auckland why he chose not to join the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs,” says City Vision Spokesperson on Employment, Dr Cathy Casey.

The Mayors Taskforce for Jobs was launched in 2000 to tackle the overall problem of unemployment at the local level. 62 Mayors are members of that Taskforce, 83% of all Mayors in the country.

“Auckland City Mayor John Banks chose not to be involved.”

Dr Casey says that the City Vision team will be asking the new Mayor to join the Mayors’ Taskforce for Jobs and commit to the Taskforce’s strategic goal that by 2009, all people in Auckland will have the opportunity to be in work or training.

“There is a lot that the Auckland City Council can do to create local jobs. We intend to ensure that all avenues for local job creation are explored, including: incorporating the Mayors Taskforce goals into the council’s strategic plan to give council staff authority to spend their time on developing and supporting the youth employment initiatives and developing strategic relationships between the council and those communities particularly disadvantaged in the Auckland labour market

Dr Casey says that City Vision councillors will also urge the new Council to ensure the question of youth unemployment in Auckland is addressed.

“There are a number of ways that the City Council can be proactive in reducing youth unemployment e.g. setting up cadetship programme for employing young people within council departments; establishing scholarships for young people to study in areas where Auckland City is experiencing skill shortages.”

“It’s time for John Banks to stop the rhetoric on jobs and take some positive action.”

© Scoop Media