King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:666;Page:13833] 
1. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 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) 
: 
 The number of people who received a main benefit rose by 0.7 percent from July 2010 to 336333 in August 2010. 
Hon Annette King 
: 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 6000 beneficiaries came off a main benefit in August because they had found a job but failed to mention that over 8800 went on to a main benefit in that month with over 4000 of them going on a benefit for the first time? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: 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. 
Hon Annette King 
: 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 2233 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 
: 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 Macindoe 
: How many people cancelled their benefits in August 2010 because they found work? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: In August 2010 6596 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. 
Hon Annette King 
: 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 
: 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. 
Hon Annette King 
: 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 1000 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? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Policy work about that is ongoing and still under consideration. 
Hon Annette King 
: 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 
: 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.