Headline: Joyce unable to answer basic questions
Steven Joyce is increasingly struggling to keep a grip on his portfolios as his cobbled-together department creaks at the seams, says Labour’s Economic Development spokesperson David Clark.
“Steven Joyce is clearly struggling to deal with his multitude of ministries and is unable to answer regulation questions.
“Today he was left embarrassed and flailing for answers in the face of questioning about restructuring costs associated with his new monolith, MoBIE, at select committee.
“Despite being given a two and a half weeks’ notice he had to request an extension to answer the questions. What kind of minister needs an extension? This isn’t homework, this is Parliament. No other minister needed an extension. Not even Hekia Parata or Craig Foss, ministers regarded as so incompetent Mr Joyce had to take Novopay off them.
“The question is whether Mr Joyce is contemptuous or just incompetent. Either way he’s mocking the taxpayers. These are questions they want answered.
“The economy is underperforming and Mr Joyce is left making excuses. He has not wrapped his head around the challenges of rebalancing the economy, let alone the costs of restructuring the agencies under his watch.
“When asked about turning New Zealand’s economic growth around to bring relief to New Zealanders whose income is dropping relative to the cost of living, Mr Joyce waved his glossy growth agenda pamphlets around and made more excuses.
“He admitted that this was all the Government had come up with in the past five years.
“Since the Second World War, the prudent economic management of Labour Governments has seen the economy grow at an average rate nearly 1% higher than National Governments.
“More tellingly, this Government has the single worst economic record of any Government in the last 50 years. Given Steven Joyce doesn’t know his numbers it gives nobody any comfort that will change anytime soon,” says David Clark.
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