The Government is throwing money at its so-called jobs machine, Industry New Zealand, with no idea how it is being
spent, where it is being spent and what the money will deliver, National Commerce spokesperson Lockwood Smith said
today.
"The more we find out about Industry New Zealand the more it looks like Labour has written Jim Anderton a huge cheque
and told him to go away and be quiet.
"Jim Anderton today fumbled and fudged questioning at Parliament's Commerce Select Committee looking into the budget for
Industry New Zealand.
"Neither he nor his officials have their heads around where the tens of millions of dollars budgeted for Industry New
Zealand will go.
"Mr Anderton couldn't tell us how much will go on bureaucracy, he couldn't tell us how many jobs would be created or how
the money invested would be evaluated.
"Industry New Zealand is getting $33.75 million a year for its day-to-day operations, but no-one seems to know why
Industry New Zealand is getting that much or what it is being spent on. They don't even know how much is being spent to
set it up.
"It is disturbing that Michael Cullen and the Government are prepared to throw a whole lot of money in Jim Anderton's
direction with no-one knowing where the money will go," Dr Smith said.
Ends