1. Job Creation and Unemployment—New Job Numbers Beneficiaries' Obligations and Proposed Budget Changes to BenefitsHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSJob Creation and Unemployment—New Job Numbers Beneficiaries' Obligations and Proposed Budget Changes to Benefits1. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's policies and actions?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: On behalf of the Prime Minister yes most certainly—when they're in their context.Hon Paula Bennett: Is her Government still focused on getting people into work" and if so can she confirm that since October only 4000 jobs had been created per month?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: What I can say is the Government has never had any other greater priority than to get New Zealanders back into work. We've just had the most stunning record in the last 10 years—the lowest that the unemployment rate has ever been in 10 years.Hon Paula Bennett: Can she confirm that in the two years before the election 10000 extra jobs were created each month on average leading to New Zealand having the third-highest employment rate in the developed world and we now only have 4000 jobs being created per month?SPEAKER: The member can answer the second part. He's got no responsibility for the first.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well Mr Speaker I could answer the first part as well by saying it's not true. As for the second part what we can say—and it's a cause for enormous celebration which I'd invite the member to join—is that we've got the lowest unemployment rate in 10 years.Hon Paula Bennett: Will her Government's policy to shut down oil and gas exploration putting more than 11000 jobs at risk help or hinder job creation?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: There could be no comment more far from the truth than that last statement in respect of shutting down. First of all no existing permit is being shut down and everybody in this country needs to hear it and the people of Taranaki should not have to hear this miserable message that is false and is extreme. An area the size of the North Island will still be available for exploration probably for the next 30 40 years.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she agree that our welfare system should be one of reciprocal obligations and those that can look for work should?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: We as a Government have been very concerned to ensure that we take responsibility when people are unemployed to get them back to work as fast as possible. That's why we have so many initiatives to take people who were out of work when we become the Government back into work with a real future.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she agree that beneficiaries should be drug-free and able to pass a drug test if that is what a potential job requires?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Could I just say that the policies that we are working on do not have that harsh provision because if someone is not drug-free it doesn't mean that they're beyond redemption that serious programmes cannot turn their lives around and that's what we intend to do. We see the positive side of sound social policy not the harsh stringent side of right-wing arrogance.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she agree that someone who is on welfare and meets the criteria of a job search should be sanctioned if they repeatedly refuse to attend job interviews?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again we are developing policies with respect to the employed and the long-term unemployed in this country. That policy will be unfolded and be possibly in some description described as to its costings in the Budget on 17—Alastair Scott: This must hurt saying this. This must really hurt.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I beg your pardon?Hon Members: Who's that?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: That's a fascinating question. When it came to issues of unemployment—for example the closure of a road near his electorate last time—he didn't even turn up. There were 600 people there including me but he never turned up—at Foxton he remembers that. So as to who he is nobody's any wiser in the Wairarapa either.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. As entertaining as that answer was it didn't answer the question at all.SPEAKER: Well actually when supplementaries are made even from the seat by the member for Wairarapa the member can't expect the answer not to be diverted.Hon Paula Bennett: Will the Prime Minister support an increase to benefits above inflation in this year's Budget?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I say that we are at the eleventh hour of some glorious news which will be announced on 11 May. That member should just be a little bit more patient. After all she waited nine years for nothing. She only has to wait about nine days for something.Hon Paula Bennett: Will she be supporting free dental care for those aged over 65 with a SuperGold card?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I have to say that that has to wait until the announcement on 17 May but if there are members over there who are of age and have got dental problems come over and we'll give you health.Question time interrupted."