11. JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does she stand by her statement in the House last week that “some of our preliminary results show that around 7,000 of …16 and 17-year-olds are not touching any sort of programme or training”?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yes. That number includes about 3,300 young people who are receiving a benefit of some sort.
Why did she limit her answer to 16 and 17-year-olds? Is it because the figure for 15 to 19-year-olds not in employment, education, training, or any form of benefit is much larger, at 34,900?
The reason she gave that number is that she has a priority concern for that group of people to ensure that they are able to be provided for by the system.
If this is an area of priority concern, can the Minister name the initiatives—excluding Job Ops and Community Max, which focus on young people who are on a benefit—she is implementing to assist the tens of thousands of young people who are not on a benefit, not in a job, and not in education or training?
I can tell that member that many programmes and services are available for those young people. I can name the work that the Minister for Social Development and Employment is doing to have a stronger economy in New Zealand through lower personal taxes, less regulation, and a commitment to a growing economy.
Carmel SepuloniDoes she have any preliminary results showing which of her policies has been the most effective in tackling Pacific youth unemployment?
Mr SPEAKERI apologise to the member, but I ask both Chris Tremain and the Hon Annette King to desist the interjecting across the front of the House. We cannot hear Carmel Sepuloni. I ask her to please repeat her question.
Does she have any preliminary results showing which of her policies has been the most effective in tackling Pacific youth unemployment?
How does she reconcile any of the actions she has done with Bill English’s statement that the reason the $4.8 million for the Pacific Economic Development Agency was necessary was because nothing was happening in this area in relation to Pacific youth unemployment?