26 January 2006
John Key MP
National Party Finance Spokesman
20,000 lost jobs a bodyblow to workers
Finance Minister Michael Cullen today put a number on the job losses the country can expect from the economic slowdown.
He told Holmes on radio this morning that about 20,000 people could lose their jobs from the slowdown this year.
"Twenty thousand jobs lost is a huge price to pay for squandering the golden years," says National Finance spokesman
John Key.
"No wonder the Government is running around like headless chooks now they've finally calculated just how many Kiwis will
lose their jobs from the rapidly slowing economy.
"The Government had the perfect opportunity over the past six years to build a more competitive economy. Instead they
used the time to implement policies that only serve to make us less competitive and workers more vulnerable.
"Yesterday's admission by Dr Cullen that any business tax reform is a long way off will send a chilling reminder to New
Zealand workers that this Government has no solutions to a problem that could soon see as many as 20,000 of them pay
with their jobs."
ENDS