Govt has no idea where our young unemployed are ending up
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri Feb 18 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Govt has no idea where our young unemployed are ending up
Friday, 18 February 2011, 10:20 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
17 February 2011
Government has no idea where our young unemployed are ending up
The Government has lost track of most of the young jobless who have been through its Community Max make-work scheme, Labour's Spokesperson for Employment Jacinda Ardern said today.
"Acting Employment Minister Simon Power and Prime Minister John Key claim that 70 per cent of the $50 million scheme's graduates have not returned to Winz offices, which they are claiming as a success," Jacinda Ardern said.
"But the figures they are relying on do not tell the real story. All the figure confirms is that the Government has no idea what most of these young people are now doing - as Ministry of Social Development Chief Executive Peter Hughes has admitted.
"In a letter to a journalist, Mr Hughes says the 70 per cent actually refers to "...young people who completed the programme [who] have not returned to work and income to receive main benefits...".
"The Government is being cynical by trying to claim success based on the number of people who they cannot actually account for, rather than people moving into employment.
"The fact that these young people have not shown up at a WINZ office is no measure of success.
"For all we know, these young people are under 18 and aren't actually eligible for an unemployment benefit, have moved to Australia, are being recycled through another Community Max project or have just disappeared into a black hole along with the tens of thousands of other young Kiwis who are not in work, training or education.
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Mr Hughes says that of the graduates "who have maintained contact" with the ministry only 28 per cent were recorded as having secured part time or full time employment.
"That is a tiny return on a $50 million scheme, which would be much better spent on getting young people into apprenticeships and industry training.
"New Zealanders deserve far greater accountability, and a scheme that actually prepares people for real jobs," Jacinda Ardern said.
ENDS
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