11. Question No. 11—EmploymentDr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of EmploymentQuestion No. 11—Employment11. Dr SHANE RETI (National—Whangarei) to the Minister of Employment: What groups do his employment programmes target and against what outcomes will he measure their performance? Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister of Employment): The employment programmes that I'm responsible for primarily focus on young people who are not engaged in education employment or training alongside members of our communities who have had historically poor employment outcomes. To answer the second part of the question last year I launched the Government's employment strategy where we measure the outcomes of our programmes through the objectives of this strategy which include building a skilled workforce supporting thriving industries and sustainable provinces supporting an inclusive labour market preparing for a changing nature of work and building modern workplaces for a modern workforce. For example through the lens of an inclusive labour market I'm looking to see if there are improvements for those who have had historically poor outcomes. Over the past 2½ years we've seen the lowest unemployment rates for Māori in over a decade—a clear indication we're measuring outcomes against the strategy and that our programmes are making a difference. Dr Shane Reti: Which of his six employment programmes target non-Māori over age of 24 who live in the regions? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Our programmes cover all people—Māori Pākehā Pasifika. All the programmes are targeted towards special groups but they're open to everyone apart from obviously our new Māori Trade Training that has come in. Dr Shane Reti: What is his best estimate of the number of people who are ineligible for his employment programmes? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I can't give you that estimate at this time but if you want to put the question in writing we'll come back to you from my office. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Minister as to his employment programmes targeting various areas do any of them for example target moving the navy from Auckland up to Marsden Point moving the floating dock to Whangārei or Marsden Point or for that matter moving the Port of Auckland to Marsden Point as Mr Reti claims in an advertisement in the newspaper in Whangārei this week that he is engaged in? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Yes I think some of our programmes cover that area. Dr Shane Reti: How many years will it take for Mana in Mahi to place the 35000 people the Prime Minister said had applied for the unemployment benefit given the current placement rate of 350 per year—how many years? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: We don't have that number at this stage but what we do have is we have a very successful Mana in Mahi programme—as that member knows—with an 80 percent success rate and this is a programme that everyone should be proud of particularly that member across the House. Dr Shane Reti: Supplementary. SPEAKER: No there's no more National supplementaries. Marja Lubeck: How are his employment programmes contributing to positive outcomes for New Zealanders? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: In August of last year I launched the Government's employment strategy which is to deliver a productive sustainable and inclusive New Zealand. So in my time as employment Minister we have had the lowest unemployment rate in over a decade the lowest Māori unemployment rate in over a decade the highest employment rate for Māori since records began and the lowest underutilisation rate in over a decade and through those employment programmes I have oversight of over 4000 New Zealanders who've been engaged and connected to qualifications—Hon Shane Jones: He Poutama Rangatahi. Hon WILLIE JACKSON: —and employment—yes He Poutama Rangatahi that Minister Jones supports. But it's not just about these individuals; it's about the positive impact on families and communities that that member should be proud of but sadly doesn't seem to be because he comes up with these ridiculous questions every week. Marja Lubeck: What do the outcomes from He Poutama Rangatahi mean for regional communities? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: They mean a huge amount to regional communities and we must continue to focus our attention on improving outcomes for our rangatahi particularly in our provincial and rural communities. For example I'd like to share with the House the difference that the Mangatoa Station Forestry and Ecological Restoration Project has made for the community in Kaikohe. We have 27 rangatahi who were not engaged in education employment or training who began that programme and upon completion all 27 are in continuous employment. When you consider that more than a third of people who participate in it have been expelled from school 10 percent have criminal convictions these programmes are clearly making a positive difference for not only our young people but for the whānau and the community that Mr Reti represents. SPEAKER: Just before we go on I did indicate to the National Party that they had none left. That was my count and it was supported on my right. But if people do think that I am wrong I'm happy to have another one and it'll come off tomorrow if I'm correct. Dr Shane Reti: When you stated in this House that 81 percent of people in Mana in Mahi do not return to a benefit over what time frame is that? Hon WILLIE JACKSON: In terms of that time frame we find that over the next six months they're not going back and we're monitoring them very closely. It's been incredibly successful this Mana in Mahi but we monitor these people all the time and at the moment in terms of Mana in Mahi over the following six months there's been no return to benefits.