Prime Minister John Key says his 'State of the Nation' speech this Friday will focus on the economy and employment in particular.
Key told TVNZ's Breakfast programme the speech would again be "very economically focused."
"I think there's a bit of a sense of saying to New Zealanders 'look we get it that jobs are important, that economic growth is important, that the concept that we've always believed in that New Zealanders need to be able to look after their families (is important and) critical to that is having employment'," said Key.
"So we are going to have a sense of urgency about some of the things that we are doing. And we're putting people, including our political opponents, on notice that the government's got to move and act this year. And there's an underlying reason for that and that's ensuring that New Zealanders have confidence they're going to have employment and can move forward."
The most recent official unemployment figures show unemployment hit 7.3% during the September quarter of last year, its highest rate since 1999. Just before Christmas Key said his government's number one goal for 2013 would be to reduce the unemployment rate.
This contrasts with Labour Party leader David Shearer who last week said housing affordability should be the National Party-led government's top priority, which was what it was for Labour.
Today Key noted there was a lot of work the government wants to do in relation to the Resource Management Act.
"In the end if we want to move things forward, and we want to deal with issues like housing affordability, they aren't driven by some handout from the government as Labour are proposing. They are driven by speeding up the process and land supply and land release is part of that," said Key.
Meanwhile, he also confirmed there would be a Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday precipitated by speaker Lockwood Smith's departure to become High Commissioner in London.
7 Comments
Thus will be very interesting given the absence of any substantial structural economic adjustments in the last 4 years ...
If it does not address the exchange rate with the TWI now at all time highs, manufacturing and the tradables sector will continue to suffer with consequent ongoing job losses.
It's no accident that the McKinsey publication this month is headed " Why manufacturing counts .. "
"So we are going to have a sense of urgency about some of the things that we are doing. And we're putting people, including our political opponents, on notice that the government's got to move and act this year. And there's an underlying reason for that and that's ensuring that New Zealanders have confidence they're going to have employment and can move forward."
Translated:
We have had four years in power and have failed so badly that if we continue with the status quo we will lose the next election even with Shearer leading the Labour Party. We are therefore desperate enough to consider - possibly - changing something meaningful. But probably not - more likely we will just make changes to our perception management e.g. "ensuring that New Zealanders have confidence they're going to have employment"
too right Colin
I'll be blown away if Key enacts anything meaningful
The solution to the housing crisis in Auck AND employment is obvious - build a whole lot of state housing throughout Auck. It doens't all have to be retained in state ownership, plenty of it can be through partnerships with not for profits
"a sense of urgency" blah blah blah.....so said Mr Smile and Wave.
Wonder what he has been doing the past 4 years !!! No sense of urgency then to right the wrongs with NZ economic problems ?? Or is it that he thinks NZ doesn't have any economic problems worthy of his attention ??
He thinks that unemployment should be reduced ?? Only now ??
My advise to David Shearer : double up or nothing :
Built 10,000 homes per year for the next ten years at $300,000 or less AND reduce unemployment at the same time by training our unemployed to be builders !!
Check Mate John !!
On unemployment. Article 23 of the UN Declaration states that EVeryone has the Right to work. The opposite of the Right to work is to be prevented from working. The Earthquakes and Aucklands housing shortages ensures the "Right to Work is able to be met. So address the issues that are preventing people from working. Get rid of the RMA and other bureaucracy and the unemployment benefit when so many jobs exist and you have removed the prevention to work mechanisms at play. There are an enormous number of jobs in varying fields that are needed to meet the "Free Choice of Employment". Article 29 refers to respect and rights of others and their general welfare. So "Free Choice of Employment" does not indicate that people have the right to decline work as this would be against Article 29.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
Article 25 Everyone has the Right to a standard of living - this article includes housing. The RMA has significnant issues causing shortfalls in housing. Councils are controlling the release of land thereby exasberating the situation. Get rid of the RMA.
No where in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights does it say that Governments, States etc must control the people or the economy. The Articles refer to how any Government must behave and that the legislation they implement must not contravene these articles.
If the Government is to act with urgency and get the economy humming again then it must rid itself of all legislation that contravenes this Declaration. Post-Keynesian policies are what is causing the damage. Government controls, manipulating markets wreaks havoc and undermines virtually every facet of the declaration but few people ever bother to read and understand its content.
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