The Green Party is seeking a parliamentary select committee inquiry into job losses in the manufacturing sector.
The request comes after the Kawerau pulp and paper mill confirmed plans to halve production, and the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in Southland confirmed it will cut 100 jobs.
Greens co-leader Russel Norman says the manufacturing sector has shed 40,000 jobs in the four years to June and the situation needs to be taken seriously.
Dr Norman says he refuses to accept that nothing can be done about the job losses, or that manufacturing is inevitably doomed in New Zealand.
He is not ruling out an opposition inquiry into job losses, should a select committee inquiry fail to garner support.
