David PARKER

Spokesperson for Finance                        

23 August 2013      MEDIA STATEMENT

National sits on hands as 180 engineers join dole queue

The loss of 180 highly-skilled jobs at Air New Zealand in Auckland shows the National Government is sitting on its hands while Kiwis are joining the dole queue, moving to Australia or into less secure low-paid jobs, Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker says.

“National has no plans to boost employment despite promising two years ago it would create 170,000 new jobs.

“Today’s job losses represent 180 workers with families to feed and mortgages to pay. Labour extends its sympathy to those affected,” David Parker says.

“Kiwis deserve to have well-paid secure jobs, but they fear for their positions more than ever.  Aircraft engineers are the type of highly-skilled workers New Zealand needs to retain.

“The closure of the Auckland maintenance facility has been sparked Air New Zealand’s inability to attract new contracts because of the high dollar.  Yet another earner of foreign exchange and employer paying good wages being forced to lay off staff because of this Government’s policies,” David Parker says.

“Labour’s policies will help industry to create more well-paid jobs, change tax so there’s a focus on export growth rather than speculation and reform monetary policy to help our exporters and keep jobs in New Zealand.

“New Zealanders want a government that will take a hands-on approach to get the economy moving and Kiwis into well-paid jobs,” David Parker says.

ENDS

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