Labour promises to boost spending

Press, 25 November 1981, Page 17

Labour promises to boost spending

Labour will spend $l5O million more on works and development than was spent this year if it becomes the government, according to the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst. Mr M. A. Connelly. Mr Connelly, who is Labour's shadow minister oi Works'and Development, told an election audience of' 25 that the extra spending was part i'pf Labour's plan to revive'*,! he economy. • / . “We will 'inject funds, into ' the economy to get it back on its feel again." he said. Labour would do it by giving $BOO million worth 61 spending power to the public in tax relief, and spending more on housing, works, and development. Most of the money.- for these policies would come from the money saved by a return to full ’ employment, he said. "I put the cost of the

present policies of the Government. in terms of unnecessary expenditure and revenue foregone because ol people out of work, at about $lOOO million a year. "Our policy of general tax relief and selective increased expenditure would be funded by the return to full employment?' he said. Full employment would be achieved by investing $2OOO million in agriculture, fishing. horticulture and labourintensive industries. Labour would create 25.000 jobs by buying land suitable for horticulture and putting young farmers on it. "in the same way we have done with dairy and sheep farmers. " An extra $l5O million would be spent to supply the demand for housing, he said. “When you build a house you create work for about 200 different industries." Labour would spend an extra $6O million on roading

to stimulate the roading contractors and help local bodies. Dangerous roads and intersections would be made safe, and roads into commercial forests and scenic areas would be built. Mr Connelly said that as Minister of Works he would spend an extra $4O million on irrigation projects such as those on the Rakaia River. :He would also, fund.univer-, sity research' projects 'that could lead to products or

processes with commercial applications. People who wanted a change of government should not vote for Social Credit, he said. In the las' General Election Social Credit had split part of Labour's antiGovernment vote, allowing National to return to power. “The same thing will happen again if the people who ...vote against, the Government "do not vote for the Labour Party." Mr Connelly said.