Shane Jones’s ideological constraints

Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has proved how conflicted and confused the Coalition Government is with his appearance on Newshub Nation this morning, National Finance spokeswomen Amy Adams says.

“The Minister talked about his frustration around getting projects off the ground. He’s being pressured for more capital to fund infrastructure but Labour’s ideological resistance to PPPs means a number of important projects are failing to get off the ground.

“Without being open-minded and innovative around ways to fund new schools, hospitals and prisons, taxpayers will either end up footing more of the bill or we simply won’t get the vital infrastructure we need.

“Mr Jones also talked about the need for more foreign investment – just days after the Government severely restricted foreign investment through the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill.

“Then he said he was bringing in more Pacific workers to help plant his billion trees, despite saying immigration is too high and he instead wants to get his ‘nephews’ off the benefit and into work.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the coalition Government’s ideologies don’t line up with the reality of running the country. Mr Jones basically admitted this morning that what they’ve been doing is wrong.

“Mr Jones said several times this morning that he’s not a ‘tag and release’ politician, what we now know is that he’s been tagged as Minister, but ideology means he can’t be released to get on and do his job properly.”

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