Labour's Finance Spokesperson says the country needs to stem the flow of Kiwis heading for greener pastures offshore

Barbara Edmonds has been addressing the Herald's Mood of the Boardroom event in Auckland.

She says emigration and unemployment has been rising sharply due to public sector cutbacks, and the struggles of sectors like manufacturing.

Edmonds says we're also facing an ageing population -- and by 2060, 10-percent of our GDP will be spent on healthcare, and seven-percent on superannuation.

She says returning to surplus will be a moot point, if New Zealanders aren't getting the healthcare they want and need.