Goldsmith Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Goldsmith Paul: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Sitting date: 17 October 2012. Volume:684;Page:5879. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
1. 
PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What steps is the Government taking to support new jobs and build a productive and competitive economy? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member is entitled to ask a question. Before the Minister has got a word out there were lots of interjections. That is not reasonable. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 I am pleased to get a question on jobs today. I did not get one yesterday so the crisis must be over. The Government has worked through an economic programme to support business investment because it is business investment that leads to more jobs. Specific measures include a 90-day trial period and reducing company tax to 28 percent. ACC levies have been reduced saving $600 million this year we have removed 170 unnecessary and excessive regulations and in terms of direct intervention on behalf of young people we have the $152 million Youth Opportunities package which includes 4000 places in Job Ops. 
Paul Goldsmith 
: How have the New Zealand economy and employment market performed over the past 2 years and what is the outlook for the next few years? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: A very good question. In net terms almost 60000 more New Zealanders have jobs now than 2 years ago and unemployment is forecast to fall. That has happened because the economy grew by 2.6 percent in the year to June and annual growth is forecast at between 2 and 3 percent over the next 4 years—better than most developed countries. The after-tax average wage is up by 20 percent since 2008. New Zealand now has the lowest inflation rate since 1999 which means that the cost of living is increasing at its slowest rate in 12 years. All of this will help support jobs. 
Paul Goldsmith 
: What examples has he seen of jobs being created in the infrastructure sector? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Through the recession the Government despite tight financial times has maintained a consistently high level of investment in infrastructure. Here are just a few examples of those projects: there will be about 1000 construction jobs on the new Wiri Prison for which the contract has been signed 1000 new jobs over the next 4 years at the height of the Waterview construction and nearly 2000 people employed in the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband which has been assisted with $1.5 billion of investment by the Government. 
Paul Goldsmith 
: What recent reports has he seen on jobs and output in the manufacturing sector? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I have seen reports that there is a crisis in jobs in the manufacturing sector and as is often the case with what the Opposition parties say that is wrong. The household labour force survey shows that the number of people employed in manufacturing has remained quite steady since the beginning of 2009 although it did drop somewhat in the last 18 months of the Labour Government’s time in office. The number is now fluctuating between 245000 and 255000 people depending on the season. Over the past 2 years employment in manufacturing has actually gone up a little from 239500 to 246500. Manufacturing output in GDP terms has risen by 8 percent since June 2009. Latest GDP data shows the manufacturing sector growing by 2.5 percent over the last year.