The Labour Market Statistics were released today, showing that unemployment has risen again to 5.2%. There are now 139,000 unemployed - 34,000 more than when National took office.
This is where National has left us after 9 years of government. Persistent high unemployment, stagnant wages, and widespread poverty. The difference from the Cullen years, when unemployment was kept low by manipulating fiscal policy, while wages were pushed upwards by the labour shortage and large and regular increase to the minimum wage, couldn't be any clearer. And the reason for that is obvious: National cares for people at the top, not people at the bottom. They're interested in tax cuts, service cuts, and destroying the environment for private profit, not making sure that ordinary kiwis can enjoy a decent life. The sooner we're rid of them, the better.