The National Party will invest in more roads it says are of national significance, will initiate a science award for issues such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and will encourage more oil, gas and mineral exploration if it wins a second term at the November 26 general election.
Prime Minister John Key today released a 120-point economic development package of already completed, current, and new policies which he said would help boost New Zealand's export sector.
Labour finance spokesman David Cunliffe immediately attacked the package, saying it was "clearly a panicked response to Business NZ’s survey of no confidence in the National Government’s lack of a coherent economic strategy, which is in stark contrast to Labour’s well developed economic plan".
The Business NZ survey refered to by Cunliffe was released on October 31. It showed two-thirds of businesses surveyed either did not think, or were unsure, that the government had a clear plan to lift New Zealand's economic performance. Read the Deloitte-Business NZ survey here.
“Instead of real reform, National is again re-announcing the roll-out of ‘roadband’ (sic) that was nearly three years behind schedule," Cunliffe said.
"Upgrading the electricity grid was a Labour initiative – and now Kiwis face the prospect of faster price rises if power companies are privatised. Transport costs have grown under National, have grown not fallen. Meanwhile National continues to ignore real investment in a low carbon, high energy-efficiency future, pandering to farmers and further diluting the ETS," he said.
See and compare economic policies of all parties in Parliament here in our party policy section.
Prime Minister John Key said the package would compliment National's fiscal policy commitment to get the government's books back to surplus by 2014/15 and start repaying Crown debt.
"The top level plan for balancing the books, paying off debt and having a competitive tax system is critical for growth, but work at the industry level is also important," Key said.
"This [package] outlines 120 key action points, some of which are new, some that are in progress, and some completed ones that are starting to show dividends. Together, they will help drive our industries forward so we can sell more to the rest of the world," he said.
See the 120 point package, and the progress of each point, here.
'The world wants our oil'
Minister for Energy and Resources Hekia Parata said New Zealand could not ignore the economic opportunity that continuing global oil demand provided New Zealand:
Here is Energy Minister Hekia Parata talking about New Zealand's oil exploration potential:
(Updates with link to 120 point package, quotes from Key, videos, reaction from Cunliffe)
12 Comments
Thirteen different words are used in the first twenty items of expediture: Fund, Use, Invest, Fast-track, Speed up, Develop, Evaluate, Commit, Accelerate, Upgrade, Ensure, Build and Underwrite. Spending is not mentioned once. Some items of spending are listed under more than one action.
Am I supposed to be impressed?
PM – do you really understand the people of New Zealand ?
The National slogan “building for the future” is full of ambitions - tailor made for a rich, highly educated and sophisticated society like Singapore designed in the 80’ – but certainly not for New Zealand in 2011.
PM – considering the worldwide difficulties, the relatively low knowledge and skill base of our society, the massive lack of real and decent NZjobs, plus an underdeveloped high tech industrial sector – how much more billions do you like to waste to fulfil your megalomaniac economic plans ?
PM – 2011 is the time to reconsider economics based on our own entire Kiwi society and financial affordability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQqDS9wGsxQ or are you planning us into bankruptcy ?
..and John - no, no listen John my boy - there is something big coming !
Please – we need a new way of doing economics here in small, remote and underpopulated New Zealand or we are racing to the cliff faster. More “HARDtalk” by the NZmedia for our politicians of any parties to expose their economic failures is necessary.
Listen to 1 and 2 of: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfUozKMgA-Y&feature=related
PM - you are a smart talker, but completely divorced from the wider NZpublic.
Definately ? ....... This definitely is an opportunity for the Government to bundle the nation's road system into several toll road companies , and to float 49 % of each one onto the NZX .
... a win for the NZX and investors , and meebee a better deal for tax-payers and road users too .
An asset for the government to draw dividends from , with less bureaucratic input required .
.... I think that we have a Win / Win / Win , gentlemen , definately do .
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