1. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
How many working-age people are currently receiving a main benefit and how does this compare to July 2010?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
The number of people who received a main benefit rose by 0.7 percent from July 2010, to 336,333 in August 2010.
Why did she not give New Zealanders the full picture of the August benefit numbers in her press release on Monday, when she claimed that over 6,000 beneficiaries came off a main benefit in August because they had found a job, but failed to mention that over 8,800 went on to a main benefit in that month, with over 4,000 of them going on a benefit for the first time?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
As the member has that information it is fairly evident that the information is transparent and it is out there. If the member had read the press release further, she would see that. It is pretty evident, because the member is reading it out in Parliament, as to why it is there. The numbers have been transparent. They are what they are, and that is where it sits.
Because she chooses the date to release the benefit figures, why did she release the figures on Monday at the height of the turmoil following the Christchurch earthquake—was it because the main benefit figure went up by another 2,233 in just 1 month, in contrast to the Australian unemployment rate, which has just dropped from 5.3 percent to 5.1 percent?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
A week ago I had a criticism from the Opposition that I was not releasing the figures soon enough, and now it seems I have released them too soon. That is the criticism that is coming from the other side of the House. Yes, as the press release said, the numbers did go up for August, but actually this is the lowest increase for 3 years, and we have also seen people going into work, as well as those who are unfortunately not able to.
Tim MacindoeHon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
In August 2010, 6,596 people cancelled their benefits because they found work. This was up 19 percent from August 2009, and up 22 percent from the time when the member herself was in Government—22 percent from August 2007, which was before the start of the recession.
Does the Minister continue to use online job advertisements as an indicator of an improving economy; if so, has she seen the news story today quoting SEEK New Zealand, one of the companies she often uses in her press releases, which states that both job applications and job ads have gone down by 3.8 percent, indicating a further bump in the long road to recovery?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Yes I do. We do look at that, and actually SEEK today advised that it had 33 percent more jobs for August this year than it did last year. I think, though, as the member quite rightly points out, we can slice and dice it however we like, but it is about people, it is about them trying to get jobs, and it is about offering them the right assistance.
In light of the Prime Minister’s answer in the House yesterday, is the Minister prepared to advise the Government to insert provisions in any urgent legislation relating to reconstruction in Canterbury that requires construction companies to undertake training of the 1,000 beneficiaries she has identified in the region who have some skills in construction and building, and who could be used in the earthquake clean-up, thereby giving them a chance for long-term future employment?
Will she waive any of the new requirements brought in by her recent social security amendment Act for Cantabrians facing severe hardship arising from the earthquake—for example, the requirement to complete a budgeting course if they need a hardship grant more than three times in the year—if not, why not?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
The member misrepresents what was said to be a budgeting activity after beneficiaries have received three hardship grants. Yes, there are special circumstances relating to victims of this earthquake, and we have made changes with those. Some of the changes are about civil defence payments and some are about special-needs grants—and, yes, I think that is appropriate.