Paula Bennett hiding bad unemployment news
new-zealand-labour-party
Thu Aug 26 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Paula Bennett hiding bad unemployment news
Thursday, 26 August 2010, 2:37 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Annette King
Social Development Spokesperson
Paula Bennett hiding bad unemployment news
Employment Minister Paula Bennett has been trying to bury bad unemployment data – a sure sign her government has run out of ideas on how to grow jobs or support existing jobs, Labour’s social development spokesperson Annette King said today.
“This week, Ms Bennett finally gave the Ministry of Social Development permission to release the full benefit statistics for July – 18 days after her low key August 6 press statement on unemployment figures, released on a Friday afternoon,” Annette King said.
“The report is still not public on the MSD Website. It is available only on request at the Parliamentary Library.
“Withholding regular benefit information for as long as possible is starting to become a pattern for Ms Bennett,” Annette King said.
“It is surely no coincidence that the jobless figures have got worse again.
“The latest benefit statistics show that between July 2009 and July 2010:
The number of people on a main benefit has gone up by 18,000
Numbers on unemployment benefit are up by 6800
Emergency benefits up by 22.8 per cent.
Independent youth benefits up by 29.6 per cent
Student hardship benefits up 84.8 per cent
“It is clear Ms Bennett is trying to hide bad news from the public.
“She was also slow to release the full figures for June. There was a gap of 16 days between her muted press statement on July 14 and her permission for the full summary to go to the Parliamentary Library on July 30.
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“This is in stark contrast with her speedier response with the March, April and May figures – when the Government was busy telling New Zealanders that a strong recovery was underway and unemployment was dropping.
“For those three months, the delay between her statement and the full release was one day, one day and two days respectively.
“Try as National might, no amount of trickery can hide the damage its policies are wreaking on people’s lives,” Annette King said.
“Gimmicks like the Job Summit and cycleway were a flop, and John Key’s bright idea for a financial services hub has disappeared without trace. The jobs aren’t appearing.
“In almost two years in office, it is obvious that this government has run out of ideas. National is just not working,” Annette King said
ends
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