Creating jobs key to lifting economy

Opinion

The new parliamentary year has moved into full swing this week with the Government starting to introduce legislation to implement policy promoted during the election campaign. It will be an extremely busy year for Parliament and we are already seeing a number of very positive initiatives announced.

Key among these has been the announcement around increased broadband coverage to schools, some 693 of them.

We have also seen the welfare reforms announced and the introduction of legislation into Parliament on the mixed ownership of the energy companies Mighty River Power, Genesis, Meridian and Solid Energy.

The broadband announcement is great news for the Rangitikei electorate as it contains a number of our schools from throughout the electorate, and signals some good news for rural New Zealand.

The welfare reform contains a number of measures to encourage beneficiaries with children to re-enter the workforce, and targets support for young people on a collision course with long-term welfare dependency.

With one in every eight New Zealanders of a working age on a benefit, there is a need to take action to help them back into the workforce. Many of the Government's policies are designed to stimulate the job growth that will provide those opportunities.

I am confident that the mixed ownership model will be beneficial to all New Zealanders, as it gives Kiwis with savings the opportunity to invest in some great New Zealand assets. Underpinning all of the Government's policies is our aspiration to provide jobs and to boost our export-led economy, giving New Zealanders opportunity for more and better employment.