“Let’s not pretend this means life is getting easier for most people, New Zealand’s economy still shrank overall in 2024,” Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said.
“The construction sector, which is crucial for jobs and housing, shrank another 3.1 percent last quarter and is down 7.3 percent in 2024. That’s the direct result of National’s cuts to infrastructure and housing projects. Its decisions have put 13,000 construction workers out of a job and left more families struggling to find an affordable home.
“New Zealanders are working harder but still not getting ahead. This is a Government that talks big, but many Kiwis are worse off than they were before National took office.
“Unemployment remains high and people’s wages still aren’t keeping up with rising costs. If National was serious about growing the economy, they’d focus on jobs, health, and homes, rather than cutting infrastructure projects, freezing public sector wages, and leaving New Zealanders to struggle with rising costs,” Barbara Edmonds said.