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Surplus gone, time to concentrate on serious economic issues
National’s obsession with its nanosecond surplus has ended up being a lose-lose for New Zealand because it came at the price of fewer jobs and more pollution, the Green Party says. The Government’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update today forecast a $401 million government deficit, GDP growth slowing to 2.1%, and unemployment rising to 6.5%. This is a step backward from the Budget 2015 forecasts of a surplus, 3.2% GDP growth, and 5.1% unemployment. “National should have focused on... -
A road is not a plan for a just transition from West Coast coal
The West Coast region needs central government leadership to help it thrive in a post-coal world, not another road, the Green Party said today. Buller’s mayor has proposed building a new road through Kahurangi National Park to boost the region’s economic fortunes as the coal industry declines. “The Government must take responsibility for developing a just transition strategy away from coal for the West Coast’s economy rather than adopt an 1880s-style plan to bulldoze a new road through a treasured... -
Green Party congratulates Kirk Hope
The Green Party congratulates Kirk Hope on his appointment as Chief Executive of BusinessNZ. “Our congratulations go to Kirk Hope for his appointment as BusinessNZ Chief Executive,” Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said. “Mr Hope is the right person for the role. “The Green Party has worked constructively with Mr Hope at the New Zealand Bankers’ Association and we look forward to working with him at BusinessNZ. “Over its fifteen years, BusinessNZ has shown an increasing understanding of the linkages... -
National’s failed R&D plan missing the D
The National Government’s research and development (R&D) funding system needs a massive overhaul in light of new information from Deloitte that some R&D Growth Grants don’t actually cover development spending, the Green Party said. A Deloitte report into the Government’s Callaghan Innovation R&D funding organisation’s Growth Grants found that funding agreements were “ambiguous and to a certain extent contradict[ed] the purpose of the grant" and that the “terms of the funding agreement specially prohibit a recipient claiming any development expenditure... -
Supporting smart jobs and exports isn't a game
The Green Party is calling on the Government to let the computer game development industry access incentives already available to the screen production industry, following new information from the New Zealand Game Developers Association that suggests growth in the gaming industry is constrained by a lack of Government support. “Unless the Government provides an equal playing field with the movie industry, new gaming companies and high-value projects are likely to dry up,” Green Party information and communications technology spokesperson Gareth... -
Reserve Bank’s failings hurting businesses and households
New information released by the Green Party today shows that the Reserve Bank has failed to forecast inflation accurately over the last four years meaning interest rates have been kept higher than necessary, hurting businesses and households. Analysis by the Parliamentary Library of Reserve Bank inflation forecasting versus the actual inflation rate shows that the Bank has consistently mis-forecast inflation over the last four years, resulting in a higher Official Cash Rate (OCR) than necessary to control inflation. Higher cash... -
National failing to build strong, export-focused economy
Growing economic pessimism is justified and will be reinforced further by National’s failure to grow the internationally competitive part of our economy, comprising of exports and import competing industries, the Green Party said today. -
New fiscal stimulus can fix the climate and economy
Stimulatory spending to help boost the economy can also help address climate change, the Green Party said today. ANZ Chief Economist Cameron Bagrie yesterday called for central and local Governments to move to a more stimulatory fiscal stance. “If the Government is smart, any new stimulatory spending to boost the economy can address climate change at the same time,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said. “For smart, new capital expenditure, the Government can move forward spending on Auckland’s City Rail... -
CEO pay shows entrenched inequality
Ten percent pay rises for CEOs are evidence of an economy based on entrenched inequality, the Green Party said today, following the release of The New Zealand Herald’s executive pay survey. “Most ordinary working New Zealanders would have been lucky to get a two or three percent pay rise in 2014, but CEOs are getting ten percent or more,” Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Denise Roche said. “These CEO pay figures show how normalised such extreme inequality has become. It... -
Movie jobs decline despite National’s promises and deals
The number of jobs in the screen industry has been in decline since 2009, despite National’s promise that its backroom deals with Warner Bros would secure more jobs here, the Green Party said today.