Headline: Southern Unemployment Up Again
The major increase in unemployment in the Otago region is a stark demonstration of the effect of this Government’s policy of shafting the regions,” say Dunedin MPs Clare Curran and David Clark.
“This National Government has once again shown a complete lack of regard for people outside the main centres and is driving the South further into economic doldrums, as today’s figures show,” said Dunedin North MP and Spokesperson for Economic Development David Clark
“The jump in unemployment rate from 5.4 in the March 2013 quarter to 6.3 in the most recent data released by Statistics New Zealand shows the roll on effects of decisions such as the outsourcing of KiwiRail contracts from Bradkens local foundry,” said Dunedin South MP Clare Curran
“Steven Joyce’s new procurement rules released in April are a complete sham, delivering no real benefits. When a State Owned Enterprise like KiwiRail is blatantly not calculating whole of economy effects over the life of a contract and another major tender goes off shore to the detriment of our local industry, the South needs to ask why.
The flow on effect of failure to support the regions is clear in the fact that simply and elaborately transformed manufacturing jobs have halved in Otago under this Government’s watch. Local cuts to Government Departments in DoC, Police, CYF, Immigration, Housing and Fisheries, as well as the likes of New Zealand Post and Invermay show the Government’s priority is not Otago.
“Southland’s rate has increased to an even greater degree with a jump from 3.2 to 4.9 per cent of the workforce currently unemployed.
“Labour will fight for the provinces and to keep jobs & businesses in our regions, these numbers show this Government has failed once again and the people of the South deserve better from their leaders.”
—
