7 Nov 2008

Labour would bring forward local roads' spending - Clark

11:53 am on 7 November 2008

Labour leader Helen Clark has fleshed out more details of the economic stimulus package the party would introduce if returned to power.

Miss Clark released the latest details of the plan during a visit to a Tongan church in Auckland on Sunday 2 November.

She said with unemployment forecast to rise, the Labour Party's priority was to make and sustain jobs.

Labour would make money more readily available to local councils' infrastructure projects such as road maintenance.

Miss Clark said Labour would also bring forward funding already committed to the rollout of high speed broadband.

Earlier Miss Clark told TV One's Agenda programme the move would be part of wider efforts to create jobs in the current economic environment, in which unemployment is expected to rise.

She said the money would not be new funding, but would be brought forward and made available for infrastructure projects.

The party is promising the economic stimulus package in December, if it stays in government.

Miss Clark has already said retrofitting houses with insulation could be brought forward in the face of the economic downturn, and talked about bringing forward rail projects, as well as school upgrades and forestry works.

National spending

The National Party has pledged $8.6 billion for new infrastructure projects over the next six years.

Its leader John Key has also said the party would reform the Resource Management Act, helping to boost New Zealand's productivity.

Mr Key has said National's infrastructure budget outstrips that of the Labour Party, which has budgeted $500 million of new capital spending next year, $750m the year after, and $900m in subsequent years.