(National Party media release)
New official data shows Labour has failed to address the rise in benefit dependency, says National’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Louise Upston.
“Despite record job vacancies, with businesses across New Zealand crying out for staff, there are still 50,000 more people receiving the Jobseeker benefit than when Labour took office five years ago.
“This includes 11,200 more people under the age of 25, the group who should be able to find employment in an economy suffering labour shortages in almost every sector.
“Of most concern is the number of people who have been on Jobseeker for more than a year, which is 55 per cent higher than in 2017.
“It becomes harder to reconnect with the workforce the longer someone spends on a benefit, and businesses who can’t find staff are unable to operate at full capacity.
“Clearly something has gone wrong with Labour’s approach to welfare. The Government needs to be doing far more to help people stuck on Jobseeker long-term to overcome whatever barriers they face to getting into paid work.
“But for some reason, this Labour Government seems content to just passively allow thousands of New Zealanders to languish on the benefit without any direction, support, or consequences.
“Accountability must exist in the welfare system so that people who can work, do.
“New Zealanders expect obligations to find work are enforced, and consequences are imposed when these obligations are not met.
“National believes that every Kiwi deserves the independence, choices and opportunities a job provides.
“Yet with worker shortages across the country, Labour is frittering away a golden opportunity to connect those on a benefit with job vacancies, and is instead creating a far bigger social and economic problem down the road.
“If Labour can’t get people off welfare and into work now, when will they ever be able to?”
Waikanae Watch 
WHEN
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First we must collapse the economy ” The great reset ”
Jacinda is excelling in the job she has been put in to do !
Democracy is dead in NZ . We will own nothing but we will all be happy 🙂
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WPRK WORK WORK THATS ALL LIFES ABOUT.
They need to sort out better work hours etc I currently working part time, and love it Because it does not feel like groundhog day
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Their needs to be balance in life.
Example my dad worked his arse off for nothing, until he was able to go to USA in 2000 and make some money truck driving. Up till that point my dad constantly struggling, would never see dad because he be at work constantly never making connection with his own kids. This is why I and my brothers get along with mum better.
Its all good to work but not breaking ya back for some other cunt to get rich.
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Enjoyed your comments Hyden.
I think a good proportion of people would like to work six or six and a half hours per day, particularly if they have a long commute. After six hours I would really like to know the day is over but have to carry on.
If a workplace/organisation was equipped, it may have the capacity to run two shifts of six hours or a six-hour shift with a three-hour shift which may enable some employment for at-home parents, the disabled, retirees wanting to supplement income or people facing other constraints.
If people were to work a shorter day it would be interesting to see if productivity increased due to the worker trying to devise more efficient means of doing things.
There could also be an added benefit of people reducing unnecessary consumption if they had a bit less pay and enjoyed the benefits of more free time which no sum of money can ever buy back. Your comment about your dad would apply to many children where the dad is largely a stranger because of work commitments.
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