David
PARKER
Finance Spokesperson

6 March 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
Economy, jobs neglected as sell-off becomes priority
The government’s fixation on selling assets is having a negative effect on both the economy and on the job market, Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker says.

“That’s borne out in the latest financial statement from Treasury which shows there is an extra half billion dollar hole in the Crown accounts, pushing the expected deficit to $12 billion for the year,” David Parker said.
“Treasury lays the blame for the shortfall on the lacklustre economy and a weak job market.

“Where is the Government’s plan for growth? Where is its plan for jobs? While it’s falling over itself to push asset sales legislation through – asset sales that Kiwis are overwhelmingly opposed to – the economy is suffering.

“With Treasury stating that the job market is even weaker than forecast in October’s Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Update, and latest figures showing there are 40,000 fewer jobs than when National took power, something is obviously, and very seriously, wrong,” David Parker said.

“Changing who owns what already exists will not improve the economy. It won’t bring the new exports and jobs New Zealand needs.

“The country doesn’t want more gimmicks - gimmicks like the Jobs Summit which produced no jobs or the 120-point action plan that produced no action. Nor do we want more unprincipled deals with casinos.

“We certainly don’t want our assets sold to foreign buyers. The time for gimmicks and distractions is long past. New Zealanders deserve a government that is focused on what matters – getting the economy growing and creating jobs,” David Parker.

“The government’s failure to address the structural problems in New Zealand’s economy is again apparent.”

ENDS

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