Parties that turn their back on the world fail NZ

Encouraging skilled settlers, and attracting investment in new employment-creating enterprises, are two vital ingredients in the mix of policies required to ensure New Zealand continues its six-year economic winning run against other developed nations in the race to create jobs and prosperity, says Progressive leader Jim Anderton

"It is our national interest to encourage more investment in new job-creating enterprises with an export focus.

"It is also in our national interest that New Zealand be increasingly considered as a desirable and credible destination for potential skilled migrants from around the world," he told the Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) conference in Auckland today.

"This general election, there are sadly still parties that pretend New Zealand has the option of pulling out of the global economy. NZ First gives the clear impression that it somehow thinks that if New Zealand ignores large Asian nations, then they might just go away!

"The Greens opposed the trade access agreement that the government recently succeeded in reaching with Thailand: an agreement that opens up exciting new export opportunities for New Zealand-based exporters and new jobs in those enterprises," the Progressive leader said.

"Both parties play on peoples' fears of the real challenges that face us in what is a very competitive global economy, but their proposed responses are for New Zealand to shut our eyes and ears behind artificial barricades that, if ever implemented, would retard New Zealand's development at the cost of jobs and living standards," he said.

"Over the past six years, the government has shown leadership in the face of the challenges we face as a nation. Every year our budgets have invested significantly in industry and regional development, in export promotion and investment attraction. I don't believe New Zealand or New Zealanders can afford to tkae our eye off the competitive international market ball even for a moment," he said.

ENDS

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