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Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds says she is shocked and saddened at the proposed closure of the city’s iconic Southland department store H & J Smith, which reflects broader economic concerns in the province.
“This news aligns with the warnings Southlanders have heard for months, that rampant inflation and soaring interest rates will come at a cost to employment, as we close our wallets to spending on other than the necessities of food and shelter.
“It is heart-breaking to see a business that has meant so much to Southland, over 123 years, now considering closure in November – putting more than 220 jobs at risk.
“My thoughts are with all of the staff, many of whom I have known for several years, as well as the Smith family. I know they will all be hurting at this time.
“On a broader financial front, New Zealand just can’t afford another three years of Labour’s economic mismanagement.
“We need a government that will work with business to unleash New Zealand’s economy so households have higher incomes and the government can afford services like health and education, that Kiwis expect and deserve.
“Instead, Labour has been at war with farmers for nearly six years.
“On the AM Show this week, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was asked how much the Government would spend this year. He refused to answer as he did not know.
“It is hard to imagine any Southland business owner, or farmer, not having any idea of their spending, but to hear that the Prime Minister of our country did not have a clue revealed just how incompetent this Government is.
“The answer is $129.3 billion, which is $53 billion – or 69 percent – more than National was spending in Government six years ago. The increase is simply astonishing.
“This is an extra $1 billion every week and yet services are going backwards.
“We know that more than $1.7 billion was spent on consultants last year and there are 14,000 more bureaucrats now than in 2017.
“It’s no wonder that polls show how much Wellington loves a Labour Government, while the regions like Southland reflect the hurt.
“Mr Hipkins probably also doesn’t know that net debt for New Zealand has gone from $5.4 billion in 2019, to $78.7 billion this year.
“Kiwis will be paying for Labour’s wasteful spending and economic mismanagement for years to come, with businesses like H&J Smith becoming casualties along the way.”