Rise in unemployed provides some ammunition

Unemployment on the rise again. Photo / Supplied

If Phil Goff was hurting from his mauling by Prime Minister John Key during the election debate in Christchurch on Wednesday, he wasn't showing it as the campaign trail took him to Nelson yesterday.

With Mr Key's taunt of "show me the money" probably still ringing in his ears, the Labour leader maintained a disposition as sunny as Nelson's skies as he made his way around the town centre chatting to shoppers and retailers.

Later in the morning, news of a tick higher in the unemployment rate gave Mr Goff a belated chance to counter Mr Key's goading.

"John Key's challenged me to show him the money, I'll do that. He should show us the jobs."

The scarcity of jobs under the Key Government was among the topics Mr Goff spoke about to a friendly audience of about 200 Service and Food Workers Union members early in the afternoon.

Mention of Mr Key's 90-day "fire at will" law generated an "ooh" worthy of the appearance of a pantomime villain.

Mr Goff pointed out that youth unemployment had continued to climb sharply since the law, which the Government had claimed would make employers more willing to hire new workers, was introduced.

About 100 or so Grey Power Members gathered later to hear Goff speak at the RSA.

As Mr Goff explained the policy to lift the age of eligibility for NZ Super to 67 over a 12-year period, one woman interjected: "I'll be dead by then anyway!"