By Lloyd Burr and Dan Satherley
Labour leader Phil Goff launched a stinging attack on Prime Minister John Key this morning, releasing his own 'Top 10 things you won't hear on Letterman'.
Addressing delegates from the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, Mr Goff says Mr Key needs to stand by his record and stop making excuses.
Here is Mr Goff's list.
1. Unemployment up by 50 percent even before the quakes
2. 100,000 New Zealanders have left for Australia after he promised he would stop the brain drain;
3. Prices have gone up nearly four times faster than incomes over the past 3 years. John Key increased prices by hiking GST after promising not to;
4. The first credit rating downgrade in 13 years and a double downgrade at that;
5. There are 60,000 more people on benefits costing an extra $1 billion a year;
6. The wage gap with Australia has increased by $32 a week;
7. There are 55,200 15 to 24 year olds not in education, employment or training and the number of young people on the unemployment benefit long term has increased by over 700 percent;
8. The economy has grown by just 0.4 per cent since John Key took office;
9. National's tax cuts for the most well off were supposed to be paid for with the GST. They actually cost an extra $1.1 billion in their first nine months;
10. The underclass has grown with the number of children living in benefit dependent households increasing by over 32,000 in the past 3 years.
Mr Key appeared on David Letterman's Late Show in May 2009 - watch the clip here.
"Every Prime Minister has to stand on their record and John Key is no different," says Mr Goff. "He can't keep promising things will be better soon.
"This is not a personal attack or slight. The simple fact is things have got worse since he has been Prime Minister."
Mr Goff also says the Government's "mixed ownership model" really means "asset sales".
"It is a dumb idea to sell the assets we already own. New Zealanders know that, and they don't want it."
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