“I was wrong about rising unemployment” – Blogger
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On 10 October, this blogger made the following prediction,
“New employment figures are due out on 4 November from Statistics NZ, and this blogger predicts that unemployment will rise from 6.8% (currently) to 6.9% or even 7%.”
See previous blogpost: The betrayal of our young people
I was wrong.
I was badly wrong.
Unemployment has not risen to 6.9% or 7%,
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The latest figure from Statistics New Zealand is a shocker. It shows with crystal clarity that National’s policies are not working and not resulting in the jobs that National promsed us last year.
Without doubt, the litany of redundancies is a eye-watering list of job losses this year alone,
- ANZ; 1,000 redundancies
- Wire by Design, 55 redundancies
- Hakes Marine; 15 redundancies
- Telecom; 400 redundancies
- Brightwater Engineering; 40 redundancies
- Pernod Ricard New Zealand; 13 redundancies
- Depart of Corrections; 130 redundancies
- Summit Wool Spinners; 80 redundancies
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; 80 redundancies
- Cavalier/Norman Ellison Carpets; 70 redundancies
- IRD; 51 redundancies
- Flotech; 70 redundancies
- NZ Police; 125 redundancies
- CRI Plant and Food; 25 redundancies
- Te Papa; 16 redundancies (?)
- PrimePort Timaru; 30 redundancies
- Kiwirail; 158 redundancies
- Fisher & Paykel; 29 redundancies
- Goulds Fine Foods; 60 redundancies
- Canterbury University; 150 redundancies (over three years)
- Solid Energy;
363 redundancies460 redundancies - Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter; 100 redundancies
- Axiam Metals; 44 redundancies
- Norske Skog; 120 redundancies
- Goodman Fielder; redundancy numbers t.b.a.
- Dunedin City Council/Delta: 30 redundancies
- Blue Sky Meats; 100 redundancies
- Kaipara Ltd/Stockton Alliance; 63 redundancies
- Wainuiomata New World; 44 redundancies
- Nuplex; 64 redundancies
- Newmont Waihi Gold; 20 redundancies
- Ministry of Justice; 70-200 redundancies
- Salisbury School in Nelson and McKenzie Residential School in Christchurch; 90 redundancies
- Rakon; 60 redundancies
- Dynamic Solutions; 40-60 redundancies
- Thorn Lighting; 8 redundancies
- Eastern Institute of Technology; 12 redundancies (?)
- UCOL; 30 – 50 redundancies
On top of this statistic, youth people aged 15 to 24 not in employment, education, or training (NEET), rose from 13.1% to 13.4% in the June quarter. This is a specific target demographic for National, and is another failure on their part.
National’s reliance on “market forces” to create jobs was never going to succeed. Most New Zealanders are aware of this salient reality by now. (Only the most die-hard, ideologically-blinded, National/ACT supporters still hold to this futile, discredited dogma.)
It is time that National resigned and that a new electionwas called.
On every measure (except one), National has failed. It’s ideogical hands-off policy is not only failing to create jobs – it is hindering economic recovery.
National has to go. John Key must call a fresh election.
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Addendum
Emails sent to Dominion Post and NZ Herald,
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Date: Thursday, 8 November 2012 1:10 PM
From: Frank Macskasy
Subject: Letters to the Editor
To: Dominion Post “letters@dompost.co.nz”The EditorDominon PostSir/madam,News that unemployment has surged from 6.8% to 7.3% is the clearest indication yet that National’s reliance on “the market” to generate new jobs is a failure.National has no policies for job creation and Key’s previous promises to create 170,000 new jobs; raise wages; and stem the flow of migration to Australia has as much chance of becoming reality as me winning Lotto this Saturday. In fact, for many people, finding a job is now not much different to winning a Lotto prize.With these failures, John Key has few options left. He should dissolve Parliament and call for a fresh election. None of his pledges last year hold any water any more, and he should present himself and his Party to the voters for a fresh mandate.Let the people decide whether they want to persevere with National, or abandon John Key’s blind faith in “free market” dogma and seek an alternative.7.3% unemployment – John Key can no longer avoid taking responsibility.-Frank Macskasy
Blogger,
“Frankly Speaking”
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Date: Thursday, 8 November 2012 1:20 PM
From: Frank Macskasy
Subject: Letters to the Editor
To: NZ Herald “letters@herald.co.nz”Sir/Madam,With shocking news that unemployment has skyrocketed from 6.8% to 7.3%, the question that springs to my mind is; what radical right-wing policies to beneficiary-bash the unemployed will Social Welfare Minister, Paula Bennett, be releasing to deflect the public’s attention from this apalling state of our economy?National promised us 170,000 new jobs in last year’s election campaign. Over 1,058,000 New Zealanders accepted John Key at his word, and ticket ‘National’ on their ballott paper.Unfortunately, their faith in John Key has been misplaced – as has been National’s faith in neo-liberal ideology for “the market” to create jobs. Epic fail on every account.I now wait for Ms Bennett to announce her latest attack on the unemployment for daring to be unemployed. Isn’t that what National does when they’re in trouble?-Frank Macskasy
Blogger,
“Frankly Speaking”
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Date: Thursday, 8 November 2012 1:26 PM
From: Frank Macskasy
Subject: Christmas prezzie wish
To: Father Christmas “father.christmas@northpole.com”Father ChristmasNorth Pole (what’s left of it)
Dear Father Christmas,
As well as Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Mankind, could you please add the following to my christmas prezzie list,
* an early election
Thank you.
-Frank Macskasy
Blogger,
“Frankly Speaking”
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*
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Previous related blogposts
Unemployment; A right way and the Government way
Paula Bennett on unemployment: spin baby, spin!
Guest Author: Reactionary distractions hide NZ’s 9.1% unemployment
The betrayal of our young people
Additional
TV3: Key’s cop out on employment numbers
TVNZ: Budget 2011 – Govt predicts 170,000 new jobs
The Daily Post: Rotorua’s jobless at wits’ end
Fairfax Media: NZ economic growth ‘unspectacular’
NZ Herald: Fed-up Kiwis head to Oz en masse
Other Blogs
The Dim Post: Turns out scorn is not a growth multiplier
Tumeke: Like 7.3% of the NZ labour force, John Key isn’t working
Red Alert: National Crisis
Frogblog: Unemployment is a human rights issue
The Standard: National’s failure: 400,000 wanting work
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= fs =
Ur forgiven Frank …. You haven’t got the latest software that has a built in protocol that filters out the bullshit quotient! Haha! Wait for it …. it’s the GFC fall out still playing out??
Many thanks, Denny… *doffs hat*
If we had a protocol to filter out bullshit, we’d never hear from Dear Leader again.
Speaking of which, “The Standard” has this remarkable piece on the many faces of John Key. Don’t be drinking anything when you read this; you’ll end up spraying your monitor/keyboard…
http://thestandard.org.nz/two-faced-john-key-on-pike-river/
Good you warned me … it’d be a waste of good coffee I had to borrow just now
Happy to be off service, Alan…
I hope the MSM pick up on Anthony Robins’ blog piece – fantastic bit of juxtaposition of a Prime Minister who is quickly losing his credibility…
You know what the reason for any failure will be. Too many Kiwis are lazy people who don’t get off their arses and start their own businesses so everyone can PROSPER. Instead, they want to sit around all day and be PARASITES (anyone who isn’t a farmer) consuming the fruit of the labours of the real WEALTH PRODUCERS..(a.k.a. farmers). Never mind those farmers are among the worst employers in the land – long hours, low pay, arbitrary and capricious working conditions……such that very few people want to work for them….even if the money isn’t too bad.
Do they get it? No.
Indeed, Steve.
Because, as we all know, the dole (201.96, nett, weekly) is far more preferable than a job that pays $600 a week. Of course, it you ask a right winger fruitcake (they’re nearly always right wing) if they’d care to swap their job and income for someone on the dole, they have no answer…
Funny that.
I’ve just heard Dear Leader on National Radio “explaining away” the jump in unemployment.
He’s definitely in the wrong job. He should have sought a career in propaganda/advertising.
John Key on National Radio…? Quelle surprise! I thought Key broke out in a rash if he went anywhere near National Radio…
Another excellent post Frank thanks. That list of redundancies doesnt take into account all the small businesses like local restaurants etc that have or are closing their doors, usually putting up to 9 people out of work at a time
.So depression – we are in it. As soon as people think we are then we are. There was only so long the Nats could BS everyone into thinking things would ‘pick up’. Looks like the wealthy have parked their money waiting and soon they’ll be circling like vultures eh picking off the bargains and increasing their asset wealth.
Which is why this government gave them massive tax cuts.
So much for cutting taxes to create new jobs, Draco.
Personally, I prefer the Easter Bunny myth…
Seen this one?
Yep, Key blames someone else (in this case a city) and say that the numbers are wrong. Certainly no taking of responsibility from this government.
Thanks for that, Draco.
The government’s own “anecdotal evidence”…
Charming.
So that’s how the Nats run things. On anecdotes.
Steven Joyce on Radio NZ right now… He’s stating that unemployment would be higher if Labour were in power.
Christ on a stick, when will these Tory fools take responsibility?!?!
Just heard Comrade Joyceski denying that his government has a unemployment problem?? Another one that didn’t believe Nouriel Roubini when he warned the US government & the financial institutions of the pending Financial crash a year before it happened. Danger, danger Will Robinson …F#@kwit alert!!
yep i see it as an deliberate attack on the middle class .if they create enougth disorder then they can go in with jackboots on and really cause some damage .when will people wake up
I would’ve loved to know what went through the minds of National voters last night when they saw Dear Leader on TV news, trying to explain-away the rise in jobless…
How about the denial card again Frank? We don’t see them applying for a benefit therefore the problem doesn’t exist? They’ve got a real problem keeping this one down ….. the second quarter we’re in ends 31st Dec. This is when businesses will lay people off & you’ve got 8000 to 12000 students hitting the UB books too!
I think that Denial Card is getting decidedly tatty and worn around the edges, Denny.
It’s a shame the rulebooks don’t limit use of it to no more than twice a year…
By the way, in terms of deniel, this article by Duncan Garner is definitely prescient. It was written last year.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Keys-cop-out-on-employment-numbers/tabid/1135/articleID/197111/Default.aspx