The Bankers Trust pointed to the decline in the number of job advertisements, the sharp rise in the number of registered unemployed, and subdued business confidence, as reasons for its surprise at the December statistics. The bankers told the Dominion that they believe there may be statistical errors involved working out seasonal adjustments and the timing of the changes. We include our regular Statistics That Matter feature in this issue. So this increase may prove to be temporary if this increase in hours was only to cope with the Christmas rush. Last week's Budget Statement clearly foreshadowed government plans to shift its spending from welfare payments to its higher priority areas such as education and health.
Income support is intended to help people move from one state to another.
Social Welfare Minister Roger Sowry has confirmed that the government has its sights on the sickness benefit which is paid to some recipients at a rate higher than the dole. He says, however, that since the government had required applications for the sickness benefit to be signed by two doctors, the numbers were growing more slowly. Growth in the numbers on the DPB have also slowed since the introduction of new abatement rates and the extension of the Compass programme which encourages single parents back into the workforce. The Auckland City Missioner, the Rev Richard Buttle, says any more cuts to welfare will be immoral. By 1993, this had rocketed to 600 parcels, and by the end of 1994 it was 800 a month.