Labour’s Finance and Economic spokesperson, ComradeAnnex, gave a speech to a crowd in Rotorua today.

“Labour’s slogan this campaign has been “A Future for All” and that means helping the poor not just the rich, the sick not just the healthy, and the young not just the old. But it also means developing the provinces, not just the cities. Labour will introduce a Regional Development Fund of $200m to increase the economic strength of as many regions as possible.”

“We will work with the Whanganui Council to repair and redevelop their cities port, this will bringindustries and companies to the area and create hundreds of new jobs. We will also rebuild the Manitoto Base hospital in Ranfurly, ensuring the the region has basic access to healthcare.”

“There is a growing software industry in Dunedin and we will support it by establishing a Centre of Digital Excellence. We will invest $10m initially to set up a Chair of Computer Gaming a Otago University, accelerate digital startups by providing them with an incubator space, and we will create a funding pool to attract new talent to the industry with post school pathways and scholarships.”

“Under National, while our Forestry Industry has been growing, we have lost over 3,000 wood processing and manufacturing jobs because the focus has shifted to exporting raw lumber overseas. Labour will invest in both the Forestry and Wood Processing Industries and insure that jobs which can stay in New Zealand do stay in New Zealand.

“We will establish a New Zealand Forest Service here in Rotorua which will help companies and manufactures develop a National Forestry Strategy. It will plant commercial forests on crown land to supply the processing and manufacturing industries and provide counsel to iwi and private owners to help them establish forests on their land. We will keep processing jobs in New Zealand by ensuring that all new government building projects use wood from processed by New Zealand based companies, Allocating $20m to build a new prefabricated housing plant in Gisborne, and keep New Zealand forestry in the New Zealanders hands by requiring the sale of logging rights on land over 50 hectares to be approved by the Overseas Investment Office for overseas purchasers.”

“Thank you, and I hope you join us in building a future for all New Zealanders by giving your two ticks to Labour on election day.”

After his speech ComradeAnnex met with prominent members of the Forestry Industry in Rotorua to discuss the problems facing their industry.