Today, at the end of the EPMU Job Crisis Summit in Auckland, leaders of 3 opposition parties took part in an historic press conference. Winston Peters, David Shearer and Russel Norman jointly announced the launch of a parliamentary inquiry into the crisis in manufacturing. It was accompanied by a handout headed with the logos of their 3 parties.
With Peters and Norman seated on each side of him, Shearer kicked it off. He said this inquiry was necessary because of the “ostrich” behaviour of the New Zealand Government, in failing to deal with the crisis. He said they would welcome other parties joining them.
The handout says:
The aim of this inquiry is to ascertain the problems confronting manufacturing and policies that political parties can adopt to best deal with these problems. While each party will develop its own policy platforms for the next election, this inquiry aims to provide concrete ideas that can get manufacturing in new Zealand working again.
Norman said they are looking for a more specific identification of the problems. They invite submissions from industry, stakeholder groups, and the public on this crisis. This will be open until 30 November 2012. Hearings for oral submissions will begin in December. The report will be released in 2013.
The leaders were asked if this would be a “blueprint” if they formed the next NZ government together? Shearer said it was too soon to consider such things. Peters said it was going to be good enough to be a blueprint for any government, and that they were jointly concerned about the crisis in employment and manufacturing.
Chris Trotter asked if this was the first time the 3 parties had sat down together like this? Shearer replied that they would welcome other parties to join them.
Exciting times!
PS: As usual, please excuse my amateur photography on the front page – but I wanted to capture something that I thought could turn out to be historic.
Update: articles on the inquiry launch:
RNZ, Stuff (includes Key’s attempts to dismiss the inquiry as “manufacturing a crisis”, and anyway he already did a jobs summit), One News, 3 News, NBR, NZ Herald, MSN News (in which Key calls it a “stunt”)
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