11 May 2012

Government has no economic plan, says Labour

11:21 pm on 11 May 2012

Opposition parties say an official document obtained by Radio New Zealand News confirms the Government has no plan to make the economy grow faster.

The document is a briefing paper to the Finance Minister Bill English and Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce written before their 8 March meeting to discuss the Government's new business growth agenda.

It talks about how the new strategy will be different to the Government's previous economic agenda and how the Treasury and the Ministry of Economic Development can co-operate better.

Labour's economic development spokesperson David Cunliffe says the paper reveals the Government is now setting up ministerial committees in an effort to dream up a business plan.

But Mr English says the Government is building on the work it did in the previous three years.

He says the committees are designed to ensure policies help businesses not hinder them.