Pettis Jill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Pettis Jill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:614;Page:10657] 
3.  
JILL PETTIS (Labour—Whanganui) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: What initiatives is the Government taking to promote employment in the road haulage industry? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 As part of the Jobs Jolt programme an agreement between Work and Income and National Road Carriers has been signed to take people who have been on a benefit train them and employ them in the road haulage industry. Industry research suggests that the sector has a current shortage of some 1000 drivers nationwide with strong demand expected to continue. Tony Friedlander of the Road Transport Forum described this jobs partnership as a “very practical initiative which can return benefits to everyone involved” and as a “positive move towards solving the growing shortage of truck drivers”. 
Jill Pettis 
: Can the Minister advise what other industry employment partnerships are proposed and how many more people are expected to gain jobs as a result? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Jobs Jolt partnership has already signed an agreement with the hospitality industry and the road haulage agreement now joins that. Further agreements will be developed with a number of high-growth industries including tourism retailing and the trades. At the moment we are targeting 2500 new jobs through industry partnerships. They will be part of 22000 jobs overall. 
Katherine Rich 
: Given that Work and Income has worked closely with industry to address skill shortages for many many years what is genuinely new here and how will this programme overcome the financial barrier such as the high cost of learning to drive a truck and obtaining a heavy transport licence that is the main reason for the shortage? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I think the industry regards the programme as genuinely new and that is why it regards it as a very positive move towards solving the growing shortage of truck drivers as Tony Friedlander is reported as saying. The member is wrong. The main reason for the lack of truck drivers at the present time as the industry itself will say is the lack of forward planning on behalf of the industry. 
Peter Brown 
: Does this industry partnership that has been announced mean that people interested in a driving career will have access to finance via a student loan scheme or via a superior scheme? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The most likely source of funding for people in that position would come through the standard training measure which is part of the industry training organisation funding model and not part of the equivalent full-time student model which is part of the loan scheme that the member was talking about. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting the Minister’s desire to promote employment in the road haulage industry will he be examining the attitude of some members of the commercial vehicle inspection units who on occasion stop truckies and penalise them very severely for some exceedingly simple errors in their logbooks leading to frustration and to drivers leaving the industry? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I personally will not be doing that; I am the Minister for Social Development and Employment. But if the member does have a concern and brings it to me I will pass it on to the appropriate Minister.