Kiwis voting with their feet

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Mar 09 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Kiwis voting with their feet

Wednesday, 9 March 2011, 2:38 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Kiwis voting with their feet

More Kiwis are voting with their feet as the recession in New Zealand deepens, with Deutsche Bank saying that the net inflow of migrants could fall to zero from an average of 8000 over the past 25 years, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

“Clearly the Christchurch earthquake will have an impact as well, but even before the earthquake Kiwis were beginning to leave the country in greater numbers,” David Cunliffe said.

“National has failed to create a growing economy and real jobs, with hundreds more Kiwis joining the dole queue each week.

“It’s hardly surprising that more and more disillusioned Kiwis are seeking their fortunes elsewhere, as National seems to have no idea how to make them feel useful in their own country,” David Cunliffe said.

“Of course, the trend of a steady fall in the net migrant inflow could yet be arrested if the Government looks to recruit skills from outside New Zealand to help rebuild Christchurch, but it would be a far better option, as Labour Leader Phil Goff said in Christchurch today, if the Government takes immediate action to get Kiwis into training for trades like building, plumbing, plastering and drain-laying to provide the skilled workforce Canterbury needs.

“More than ever before, we need to keep Kiwis in New Zealand, but to do that we need to create a strong economy with the jobs our people want. We need to make New Zealanders feel that they have a valuable role to play in their own country.”

ENDS

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