More unemployed people is a Government failure

Rising unemployment shows how National’s economic mismanagement has failed to deliver enough jobs for New Zealanders, the Green Party says.

“Ten thousand more unemployed people is ten thousand real life tragedies for people hunting for work, and their families,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said.

“The Government keeps saying that good times are just around the corner but actually, for the 144,000 New Zealanders who are looking for a decent job now, those good times never seem to arrive.

“National is too busy protecting its mates with foreign trusts when it should be working to set the economy on the right track to job creation.

“Unemployment was 4.6 percent when National was elected in 2008 and it’s 5.7 percent now. National has had seven years to rebalance the economy and get unemployment under control.

“Flat-lining wage growth at 1.6 percent and rising unemployment shows that we need a better plan for how to employ and house new migrants, but National doesn’t seem to have a plan.

“With Maori unemployment rising 2.2 percentage points and Pasifika unemployment rising 0.5 percentage points, both more than the general unemployment rate rise, it’s clear that National’s economy isn’t working for everyone.

“Jobs in the clean energy industry are some of the fastest growing globally, but in New Zealand our Government seems intent on ignoring those opportunities.

“The economy isn’t working unless it’s working for everyone and enough jobs are being created for people to provide for themselves and their families,” Mrs Turei said.

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