One of the biggest dangers in politics is over-hyping. It is hard to resist in this age of 24 hours news, and the need to keep the press gallery happy. If we were to believe the media of recent days John Key’s opening statement was going to deliver the plan for a step change in our economy. Key was to regail us with the plan, missing for all of the first year in government.
Well the postman has not delivered. We have some vague promises on tax, and a lot of rehashed social policy. An increase in GST, but no commitment to how he will compensate those on low incomes who will be the most effected. There is a sudden interest in research and development, after having cut the $700 million Fast Forward fund and the R+D tax credits.
For me it fails develop a vision for helping to create jobs, to develop the skills of New Zealanders and a sustainable economy and fairer society for the future.
UPDATE: Seems John Armstrong was not that impressed either. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10625081
Posted in Economy. |
I am not sure about the title of the series of articles that the NZ Herald is running in response to the Brash Taskforce, but the first from Auckland University Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon is a good one. I don’t agree with McCutcheon in terms of his comments re interest free student loans and student support, but his overall view that we must increase funding for research and education is undoubtedly true, and the real lack of doing this is one of the great shames of New Zealand’s response to the recession. The full article is worth a read, but this paragraph probably sums it up
I would invest in education, valuing our teachers – from pre-school to professors – as the professionals they truly are. I would focus on supporting our most able students to continue on to postgraduate study and research careers, rather than terminating the very scholarships that keep our best doctoral students in New Zealand, as the government has recently done.
Posted in Economy, Science and Education. |
Today there has been a deluge of statistics on unemployment, and they make depressing reading for sure
- Unemployment at 6.5%
- 150,000 Kiwis out of work, up 12,000 over the past three months
- Highest unemployment in 15 years
- Unemployment up 37% since National came into office
- Maori Unemployment up from 12.6% to 14.2%,
Ugly numbers, but for many people it is so much more than just numbers, it is reality. In my electorate office, and I am sure in other electorate offices across the country, I have had a number of people badly affected by the loss of jobs. The woman who lost her public service job, at the same time as her son’s company that she had been a guarantor for went bust. The manager in his 50s who unemployed for the first time in his life was spiralling into depression. The graduates applying for, and missing out on, cleaning and retail jobs.
The statistics might show we are coming out of a recession but that is meaningless to those who have lost their jobs, and to the families that are affected.
The government is still to show us the plan to invest in people who have lost their jobs. In Australia there have been large scale investments in skills and training, and in research and development. In New Zealand we have seen cuts to adult and community education and research and development tax credits.
National used to talk a lot about the wage gap between Australia and New Zealand. Well here is another gap. New Zealand went into the recession with a lower unemployment rate than Australia. Australia’s unemployment rate is now 5.7%, stable this quarter. Our is now 6.5% up .05% this quarter.
Maybe Rodney is right, when it comes to jobs this is a do nothing government, seemingly without a plan.
Posted in Economy and Jobs. |
This piece from Campbell Live says it all really.
Posted in Broadcasting and Economy. |
Today I spent some time with the residents of one of the Council housing blocks in Wellington. I really enjoy my catch ups with these groups as they give me a regular update on what matters to people who come and go on very modest incomes. And there was one resounding message. Coming out of winter the biggest issue is power prices. These folk are watching every dollar, and they see the moves up and down. This has been a hard year and looking back over the last few years the increases have been large. They are not necessarily up to date with moving between companies, and the companies are generally not chasing them. They do wonder why the government is taking such a big profit from the power companies it controls on the public’s behalf.
Phil Goff addressed this in his Labour Party conference speech, and it is something Labour is taking seriously as we put our policy together for next time.
Posted in Energy and Economy. |
