10. Question No. 10—Social Development and EmploymentHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 10—Social Development and Employment10. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Has MSD been enforcing work-related obligations for the 176763 jobseeker support recipients since work-related obligation failures were suspended between 23 March 2020 and 27 May 2020 and if not why?Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister for Māori Development) on behalf of the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Yes the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has resumed the use of work-related obligations since June 2020. Of the current number of jobseeker support recipients 108105 actually have work-related obligations. Others may have health conditions or disabilities that mean these obligations do not apply. As you can see from our continued low unemployment rate of 3.2 percent released today and our record-breaking levels of people going off benefit into work this Government is successfully supporting more New Zealanders into work.Hon Louise Upston: Can she explain why sanctions for failing to attend a work appointment in the March 2022 quarter were 67 percent lower compared to the March 2020 quarter?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: This Government has a different approach to the punitive cruel uncaring previous National Government and the reality is that we don't just apply sanctions easily liberally. We look at what's happening with the whānau we look at what's happening in the community we look to see if there's domestic violence happening in their whānau—is there intergenerational unemployment is there drug use—unlike the previous National Party who just stopped benefits at the drop of a hat.Hon Louise Upston: Why when unemployment is 3.2 percent and firms are crying out for staff have 110000 people been on the jobseeker benefit for longer than a year?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: This takes time. We inherited—[Interruption] I'm glad the Opposition support what I'm going to say. As we all know we had an Opposition—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! No. The member will resume his seat. The members don't want to hear the answer. Karen Chhour: Does MSD have any mechanisms in place to detect jobseeker beneficiaries who are not truly looking for work but are just box-ticking on their benefit obligations and if not why not?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Of course MSD has processes in place.David Seymour: What are they?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: We've got a very good—well have a listen Seymour and you might learn something—you're so stupid. But—SPEAKER: The member was marginal until he addressed my stupidity. Please focus on the answer Mr Jackson. Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Thanks Mr Speaker. Again MSD does have processes in place and they include people who go into our communities and work with those different groups and whānau to find out what the problems are. The last thing that this Government wants is people on benefits for ever and a day. The Minister and myself have worked with people at the coalface unlike the Opposition who wouldn't know some of our people if they fell over them. We've worked at the coalface and the last thing we want is people on benefits for ever and a day. We want our people to find out what's happening in whānau. We don't want them languishing on benefits but we want to get them skilled up so that we can have a better New Zealand for everyone.Ricardo Menéndez March: Does the Minister think anyone on a jobseeker benefit should have to decide between having their safety net ripped out from under them or being pressured into any job no matter how unsuitable?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Now I think that's a good question—I think it's a good question—and we think the challenge is getting the balance right. We have to get the balance right in terms of this and I respect where the member is coming from and I understand many of the problems of our people particularly young people on benefits. We have to find a process where they're not rorting the system but we also don't want to be as punitive cruel and ugly and horrible as the National Party.Hon Louise Upston: What does he say to meat-processing firms like the one I met with last week who are having to export full carcasses because they cannot get job seekers who they will train to fill their vacancies?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I thank the member for the question. I actually went to one of our meat-processing firms last year because I came from the meat industry and so I do understand the problem. In fact in my day—20 years ago 30 years ago—there were hundreds who used to line up for jobs. Now they can't get some of those young people so this is about us working actively with employers and—Hon Members: What are you doing about it?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: What we're doing about it is working with them actively and supporting them in terms of strategies where they can attract people from our communities. It's not about us just punishing and being punitive with people which is the National Party strategy. It's about working in tandem with the community and trying to upskill them which we're doing through programmes like Mana in Mahi He Poutama Rangatahi and Māori trade training—programmes that the National Party never rolled out.Hon Louise Upston: If the Government cannot get the 110000 people who have been on the jobseeker benefit long term into work when there are chronic staff shortages when will they ever be able to?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Well the hope is that through our continual upskilling and training programmes and our push and our support in terms of communities our people will come through. The numbers have been terrific. We've seen the unemployment rates at a record low. We've seen the Māori unemployment rate is at an all-time low. What does that tell you? It tells you that our targeted programmes are working. It's telling you that the people that the National Party forgot are actually getting an opportunity and that's what this Government is focusing on. This is a long process and we've still got a few years to go yet as a Government.