8. GEORGINA BEYER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What reports, if any, has he received on the Government’s progress at reducing the number of New Zealanders on the unemployment benefit?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
The latest monthly benefit numbers show that the number of people receiving the unemployment benefit continues to plummet. When this Government first came into office in 1999, 160,000 people were on the unemployment benefit. Earlier this year the number of people on the unemployment benefit fell below 40,000 for the first time. I am pleased to inform the House today that the number of people on the unemployment benefit at the end of October was 39,001. This enormous success changes many lives, and New Zealanders should be well pleased about it.
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
Yes. Contrary to the impression some Opposition members are trying to create in their local newspapers, overall benefit numbers have recently fallen by an even greater amount than the unemployment benefit. In the year to October 2006 the total number of people on benefits fell by 11,368. Although this period registered a small rise in sickness and invalids benefit numbers, unemployment benefit numbers fell by 9,938 and domestic purposes benefit numbers fell by 5,489. People coming off a benefit in the last year outnumbered those going on to any benefit by a ratio of 4:1.