1. RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What reports has she received regarding the number of New Zealanders receiving an unemployment benefit?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I am delighted to report to the House that the number of New Zealanders receiving an unemployment benefit is at its lowest since 1979. Our Government has invested in New Zealanders. We have rebuilt the tax credit system to make work pay and we are providing active support to help people find jobs. More than 141,000 people have come off an unemployment benefit since 1999, which is a decrease of 88 percent.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
What progress has been made in reducing the number of young people receiving the unemployment benefit for long periods of time?
Great progress. Five years ago our Government made a commitment with the Mayors Task Force for Jobs to ensure that all young New Zealanders are on a clear pathway to economic independence and well-being. That collaborative effort has resulted in a tremendous achievement. This week, fewer than 250 18 and 19-year-olds have been on an unemployment benefit for longer than 13 weeks. That is a drop of 97 percent since December 1999. This afternoon my colleagues and I will meet with the Mayors Task Force for Jobs to look at our next challenge.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
Are people leaving the unemployment benefit only by simply transferring to sickness or invalids benefits?
The answer is no. The reason that most people leave the unemployment benefit is to enter paid employment.
Madam SPEAKERThe answer is no. Most people leave the unemployment benefit to enter paid work. Only 8.5 percent of all unemployment benefit cancellations between September 1999 and September of this year have been as a result of transfers to the sickness benefit. Over the same period, 60,000 people went the other way. That makes a net transfer of 31,000. One-third of 1 percent of unemployment benefit cancellations over the same period were as a result of a transfer to an invalids benefit; and over the same period 450 went the other way. That makes a net transfer of just 2,850. The combination of those two factors is nothing like the 141,000 people who are no longer dependent on the unemployment benefit.