Ardern Jacinda: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ardern Jacinda: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 14 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6595. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
: 
 I am glad that the speaker who just preceded me Tau Henare mentioned the quote “At the end of the day we are the Government.” and that is absolutely correct. Finally a member on that side of the House is willing to stand up and take responsibility for what is the highest unemployment this century. We have asked questions in this House and rightfully so because it is a deadly serious matter. And what have we heard from members on that side of the House today? Chatter about who was having dinner with whom. It is an insult an absolute insult to New Zealanders who are struggling to find work that all that side of the House can do is make jokes at a time when people are suffering. 
In fact if the worst insult that the Minister for Social Development can level at me in the House today is that I am uptight and angry about unemployment then that would be the most accurate thing she has said today. I am and I would hope that the Minister for Social Development might be as well but unfortunately not. Instead when you ask the Minister for Social Development why it is that unemployment benefit numbers have doubled on her watch what is her answer? Her answer is the economic recession—“The toughest times worldwide.” If you go on then to ask her whether or not it means that her punitive welfare reforms are justified and fair given the economic situation we are in she will respond with “There are jobs and people will get one only if they look.” This is a Minister who is trying to have it both ways. On one hand it is not her fault that people are on the unemployment benefit because of the economy; on the other she is completely justified in introducing punitive sanctions—57000 sanctions used per annum. That is double what were being used under Labour when benefit rates were lower. The Minister cannot have it both ways and yet she is. 
There are 50000 people on an unemployment benefit who are looking for work and to have the Minister claim that they are not is an insult. There are 174000 unemployed people looking for work who were just insulted by that Minister today. There are 142000 who are underemployed who are looking for more work but cannot find it and therefore are probably struggling to put food on the table. But apparently according to that Minister they are just not looking very hard either. This Minister who tried to come down to this House and justify her rationale that there are jobs for those who are looking decided to do so by giving us a few examples. The Warehouse she told us was looking for seasonal employment. Well I used to be one of those seasonal workers at The Warehouse. I know that those jobs end. And in fact when they did advertise full-time jobs there were 1200 applications for 111 jobs. The next best example she could come up with was New World—not even built yet—in Paraparaumu. In fact I understand the walls are not even up but she was already crowing that that would bring about new jobs. Well when New World advertised recently for 150 jobs 2700 New Zealanders lined up to try to get those jobs. 
New Zealanders are desperate to find work and that Minister’s claim that they are just not looking hard enough is indicative of the kind of approach that this Government has been taking to an economic crisis and a crisis of jobs: the stand back and wait the “She’ll be right.” the market will fix it hands-off approach. For 4 years that approach has failed New Zealanders and it is only good and right that David Shearer called on that Government today to change track. When the facts are presented the Government should change its mind about its plan whatever that plan is because clearly it is not working. But instead what have Government members done? Well if they cannot improve the economy all they can change is social security and that is the injustice of all of this. To say that all the responsibility should go on the job seekers who are fulfilling their end of the social contract and looking for work while that side of the House throws their hands up when it comes to the economy is an absolute outrage and it is just not right. 
I know that this weekend Labour will continue to be talking to its values—that is a fair and just society where people get a fair break. That is what New Zealanders need right now and that is why they are marching away from that Government in their droves.