Headline: Government in denial over state of manufacturing
No amount of National Party spin can disguise the decline of the manufacturing sector in New Zealand, says the Labour Leader David Shearer.
“John Key wants Kiwis to believe that all is well in manufacturing. But he is kidding himself. The facts paint a very different picture.
“In the last year alone 17,000 jobs have been lost in manufacturing. Manufactured exports outside of the primary sector are in long-term decline and have fallen by 17 per cent in real terms since 2008.
“The truth is that the Canterbury rebuild and the primary sector are the only real drivers of manufacturing activity – and growth in the meat industry is largely a result of farmers sending more stock to the works because of this year’s drought. That is hardly a success story.
“New Zealand cannot continue to rely so heavily on the agriculture and dairy industries to create our high-value jobs. It’s just not sustainable.
“The Opposition’s report into manufacturing charts a path towards a stronger more diversified economy. An economy that will create and sustain high-skill, high-pay jobs need to keep our best and brightest in New Zealand rather than Australia.
“We need a smart, active government that will back our manufacturers and exporters. Labour will tackle our overvalued and volatile dollar, encouraging innovation through R&D tax credits and give Kiwi companies first crack at government contracts.
“John Key might be satisfied watching the sad decline of manufacturing, but I’m not. The government I lead will get serious about supporting our manufacturers and building a high-skill, high wage economy,” says David Shearer.
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