26 Sep 2012

Govt strongly defends jobs' record

6:50 pm on 26 September 2012

The Government has been forced to defend vigorously in Parliament its record on jobs.

Opposition parties have attacked the Government for not taking the current job situation seriously with the loss of thousands of jobs over the past four years.

It follows recent announcements of job cuts at KiwiRail, state-owned coal mining company Solid Energy, printing company Norske Skog, and goldmining company Newmont Gold.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce told Parliament on Wednesday the country's economic position is far healthier than it was in 2008.

But the Labour Party asked when the Government would accept that its economic plan is deficient and is costing jobs.

Prime Minister John Key says the Government is trying to build competitiveness in the manufacturing sector.