Good morning everyone, and thank you Grant for your introduction.

I want to acknowledge the Chamber’s President Peter Cullen, and your CEO John Milford.

It’s great to be with you all this morning to present Labour’s vision for our economy; our commitment to shared prosperity; our determination to creating opportunities for all New Zealanders.

The threatened closure of Silver Fern Farms’ Fairton Plant in Ashburton raises serious questions about the Government’s support of the sale of half of the company to a foreign company, when it appears this outcome may have been inevitable, says Labour’s Regional Development spokesperson Stuart Nash.

“At the time of the sale in September last year, the decision-making Ministers Louise Upston and Paula Bennett said they were ‘satisfied that the purchase would create substantial and identifiable benefit for New Zealand’.

Beneficiaries, superannuitants and people on the lowest incomes continue to bear the brunt of higher inflation, according to the latest data from Statistics NZ, says Labour Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“Since National came to office (December 2008) inflation for those on the lowest 20 per cent of incomes has increased by 17 per cent. But for those with the highest 20 per cent of incomes, it has increased by only 10 per cent.

Too many Kiwis are being left behind due to stagnant wages in the face of rising inflation, according to the latest employment figures released today, says Labour’s Employment spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“While it is always good to see the total rate of unemployment come down, looking beyond the rosy headline figure reveals deeper concerns that should worry New Zealanders.

Steven Joyce’s much vaunted pre-Budget speech is simply an underwhelming response to the infrastructure deficit National has created, says Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“Steven Joyce has belatedly come to the realisation that everyone else has a long time ago, that this country needs an urgent and enormous catch-up from nine years of under investment by this government.

A commitment to full employment and a more transparent process to provide market certainty are the hallmarks of Labour’s proposals for a new approach to monetary policy, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.

An OECD report released today, highlighting the need for increased support for workers who are made redundant, is a strong endorsement of the direction of Labour’s Future of Work Commission, says Labour’s Employment spokesperson Grant Robertson.

“We welcome the OECD’s report which closely aligns with the conclusions that Labour’s own Future of Work commission announced last year.

The importance of Labour’s youth employment policies to New Zealand’s future has been highlighted by new figures showing over 90,000 young Kiwis are not in employment, education or training, says Labour’s skills and training spokesperson Jenny Salesa.

“According to the latest Household Labour Force figures, there are more young people not earning or learning than the population of a city the size of Palmerston North.

Rising unemployment and stagnant wages show that many New Zealanders are missing out on the benefits of economic growth, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson Grant Robertson.

The minimum wage increase announced today will be cold comfort to thousands of New Zealanders struggling to pay their rent or mortgage, says Labour’s Workplace Relations spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway.

“Fifty cents an hour simply is not enough to keep up with the enormous increases in housing costs that many New Zealanders currently face. A 3.3 per cent increase in wages is nothing when rents went up by 5.8 per cent last year and house prices rose by 12.5 per cent.