National breaks election promise again

new-zealand-labour-party

Tue Mar 10 2009 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

National breaks election promise again

Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 8:38 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

10 March 2009   Media Statement

National breaks election promise again – with job cuts

Cut backs at the Ministry for Environment once again show the Government is intending to drastically reduce the public service, Labour’s State Services spokesperson Grant Robertson said.

“This Government promised to cap but not cut public service jobs yet today we learn they are cutting 86 jobs at the Ministry for the Environment.

“Given the Government’s previous commitments to create jobs during these difficult economic times, news that these jobs will be lost will be extremely distressing to those affected.

“Labour expects all public service to operate as efficiently as possible, but National is now cutting important services.

“New Zealanders should be deeply concerned at what is becoming an ongoing jobs cuts programme in the public sector by this government that have already seen jobs lost at the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and others expected to follow, including at the Ministry of Social Development.

“We heard from National many times that they would seek to shift resources to the frontline. Yet here they are cutting the jobs of people who work to protect New Zealand’s most precious resource, our environment. Frontline staff are also going at TEC.

“Countries all over the world including the USA, France and Germany are providing their countries with economic stimulus packages that will create new green jobs. But rather than embrace the environment and the job opportunities it can create our government is taking a short-sighted approach by scrapping programmes and jobs.

“National is also cutting the Govt3 programme that encouraged Government departments to be more sustainable. This would have saved taxpayer dollars in the long-term by creating a more efficient public service.

“This is typical of National’s short-sighted approach,” Grant Robertson said.

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