PM’s Promise: 205 New Jobs a Day

Workers who lost their jobs today have a right to ask Prime Minister John Key where and when he will find new jobs for them, says New Zealand First.

Workers at Donaghys in Dunedin were told 30 jobs are likely to go and 17 workers at Bridon Cookes in Auckland lost their jobs. Their hopes rest with the Prime Minister who said at the weekend: “Over the next two years we expect to see about 150,000 jobs created”.

“Basically, that’s 205 new jobs a day. Given that National’s free-market model has so far done little but cut full-time jobs and casualise the workforce, how does Mr Key expect the market to create hundreds of jobs a day?” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“Long-time rope and twine maker Donaghys in Dunedin and wire rope company Bridon Cookes, which is ending production in New Zealand, blame the high dollar for job losses.

“Even though the dollar has come off its highs an overvalued dollar is still inflicting serious economic damage - costing NZ firms, jobs and exports.

“The 50% drop in dairy prices this year has revealed just how exposed NZ is to a narrow base of exports yet the dollar continues to kill off our manufacturing base

“’For the Prime Minister to blithely come out and say hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created is a kick in the teeth for most workers.

“Mr Key needs to solve the mystery – where are the 205 jobs a day coming from? When do applications open? The clock is ticking on his promise. We suspect he is just wishing, and hoping and praying. He has no plan.

“In six years there has been no action from the National Government to address the urgent issue of an overvalued dollar – in contrast - around the world central banks have adapted to the prevailing economic conditions and taken a variety of actions to keep their exchange rate competitive.

“New Zealand is locked into a Reserve Bank Act that is no longer fit for purpose.

“New Zealand First has twice introduced a bill to give the Reserve Bank the scope, the flexibility and the freedom to explore new ways of achieving a realistic exchange rate.

“New Zealand First’s Bill was purposeful, clear and implementable.”

ENDS

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