Will Key's State of the Nation stem the flow?

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Will Key's State of the Nation stem the flow?

3News NZ

John Key

John Key

People are to be lured into the construction industry with offers of cash payments of up to $2000 each.

The Prime Minister hopes the turbo-charged apprenticeship scheme will provide skilled workers for the Christchurch rebuild.

John Key unveiled the scheme during his 'State of the Nation' speech in Auckland in front of the politically friendly North Shore set.

“You might be 17 or 18 years of age, thinking about what you want to do. Maybe you wanna be carpenter a builder or a tiler or whatever, because I tell you what, with a $30 billion rebuild in Christchurch and billions of work elsewhere, you're gonna have a job for a long time,” he said.

Mr Key faces 84,000 15-24 year-olds out of work or training, unemployment at a 13-year high and a skills shortage in Christchurch.

So from April 1 an apprentice in the construction industry will get $2000, matched for the employer who also gets $2000. Apprentices in other trades will get a $1000 payout with an employer's matcher of $1000.

But this only applies to the first 10,000 who sign up.

“This is just a little bit round the edges - it's window-dressing,” said Labour leader David Shearer.

The Government estimates the scheme will bring in 14,000 new apprentices over five years.

Will the payout enough to stop someone crossing the ditch?

“Of itself, the money no, but the opportunity can,” says Mr Key.

Housing affordability needs the Government's attention. Mr Key says they will change the Resource Management Act and force councils to free up land.

But politically, the "housing wars" really have broken out. Labour and the Greens are promising to build cheap homes.

“I think the Government's stuck on housing. I don't think they know what to do. Roll up your sleeves. Get stuck in. Build houses. Don't just sit on your hands,” says Mr Shearer.

If Mr Key's Government has two Achille's heels right now, it’s housing affordability and unemployment. He knows he will be judged on both of them. The question for this year and right though to the election is simple - is it enough?

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Comments

28/01/2013 5:23:47 p.m.

Just Me wrote:

Will that be $2000.00 before or after tax(the multitude that we have)has taken off this,that and the other? By the way how long is the cycle-way that was supposed to provide employment?No-one in politics and especially in the National government seems to want to talk about that nowadays!And in regards to the Christchurch rebuild.If I heard correctly the avid National Party supporter Fletcher Construction bought out many small businesses in Canterbury so as to have a monopoly(and perhaps provide the National Party with funding. No split donations there)in the area.Fletchers now bring in overseas workers i.e cheaper wages.In the near future there will be a general election.This government is now,after sitting on their hands for almost 4 1/2 years,focusing on the young people.It's all too suspect.And especially now Key has youngster Nikki Kaye on cabinet.This 'sudden' intererst in NZ's youth(and do realise many young NZers are heading over to Aussie)reeks strongly of an unstable government sitting on shakey ground politically and hoping the young people of NZ will bail them out of their(this government's)mass stupidity. All in all I don't trust Key and I most certainly do not trust this government.They have lost all credibility due to their self-serving antics over the past so many years. There has been too much double-dipping going on and it's all not isolated to Dipton.

27/01/2013 5:31:11 p.m.

David Petterson wrote:

The whole country is about the Christchurch rebuild by his lordship the PM.Is it because his sisters live down there,or is it because he was born in a state house there? He is like a cockroach in a sandwich greasy and slippery.But forgets he was the one who said after the September earthquake that businesses should get up and running again.150 plus deaths later. It is a shame that it was not mentioned in the Ctv building inquest.

27/01/2013 8:42:25 a.m.

sam wrote:

Sooner Key is gone, the soon we have more apprenticeships!!

27/01/2013 8:37:28 a.m.

BAZRAZ wrote:

When Australia gives more hope, double the wage, people wont stick around

26/01/2013 11:59:13 p.m.

don wrote:

Sound good. but under national. there record sucks.

26/01/2013 10:24:11 a.m.

katubaldy wrote:

Excellent that there are going to be apprenticeships available for young people looking for jobs. The 14K total they bandied about is only an estimate and an optimistic one at that. Let's hope it produces the numbers required. The whole package looks like a vehicle to strip out govt regulations which usually results in problems down the road. As for the list of proposals that Labour were opposed to, that was misleading. More like Labour are opposed to most of the actions, the way National have crafted them, not opposed to them outright. Also threatening the local govts is a cheap and aggressive shot. I can see the obvious positives coming in the new year but don't be surprised if some of these proposals in practce create more animosity from those affected. Govts work best when they temper private interests with commonsense regulations. Gutting the regulations like National looks to preparing for ain't an ideal approach....time will tell.

26/01/2013 7:19:52 a.m.

annikki wrote:

This is not a scheme, Mr Key, this is a hoax! It's time to be honest and cut out the income you receive as our Prime Minister and instead go on the payroll of the industries and corporations you represent. To my opinion you are merely a cobbler patching up here and there instead of steering the Kiwi ship into the future adapting to the real needs of our country. But that's what conservatism always does. who is surprised....?!

26/01/2013 7:13:57 a.m.

iron side wrote:

Katrina there are many industries in NZ that could potentially have growth and would absorb apprenticeships. Training that can and often does lead to self employment and creating jobs for others. The much touted tourism; leading to hospitality, grooming and personal wellness, horticulture and landscaping, clothing/ craft and textile. The film industry; hair & make up, clothing and textile, catering, hospitality, electrical. There is great scope for many and varied apprenticeships that would vastly out number construction work that has traditionally always been bolstered by unskilled labour. Key & Joyce would have no idea what happens on a construction site or how it operates.

26/01/2013 12:56:17 a.m.

FRED wrote:

Apprentices rebuild Christchurch - yeah right.

25/01/2013 11:33:20 p.m.

Katrina wrote:

Iron side I hardly think we need an increase in haridressing apprentices. Hardly a growth... industry at the moment.