Wake up National

"When will it stop? The total number of New Zealanders who have given up on New Zealand and headed for Oz under National is now over 170,000.  That's more than the total population of Hamilton, or for a South Island comparison, that's more than Dunedin and Invercargill combined,” says David Parker.

“New Zealand cannot afford to continue to lose skilled workers every week to Australia.

"The latest migration data shows that 53,729 people departed for Australia in the year to September 2012 – with 21,589 (40%) of those aged between 18 and 30.  3,714 people left in September alone.

“John Key and Bill English have had four years to deliver on their promise to bridge the wage gap and stem the flow.  They have failed.

"After the equivalent of Hamilton, or Dunedin plus Invercargill combined, have left the flow of young New Zealanders must slow down sometime, and National will try to call that success.

"National must wake up and do something. Selling our power companies is not the answer.

"National is in denial about the shrinking of the non-primary manufacturing sector.  National is in denial about unemployment.  Unemployment, especially youth unemployment, is far too high - even after those 170,000 have left.

"John Key has no credible plan to create enough jobs with decent wages.

“While National might be happy to sit by and watch idly as thousands leave for Australia, Labour isn’t.

“As David Shearer outlined in his speech yesterday, Labour has a plan for a high-skill, high-wage, modern economy.  Labour will give people hope for a better future at home in New Zealand.

“Labour’s plan will create decent jobs and better opportunities so that people know they can get ahead here in New Zealand,” says David Parker.