Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Sitting date: 14 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6576. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
4. 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development 
: Does she stand by all her answers to oral question No. 9 yesterday? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development) 
: 
 Yes I stand by my statements but upon reflecting on them I should have said more about how quickly the job market is moving as some of those 300 jobs I mentioned yesterday at The Warehouse have already been filled. In fact I have just heard that The Warehouse has filled around 1200 jobs recently to get ahead of the coming busy Christmas period. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: When she said that The Warehouse had jobs available between October and January suggesting short-term Christmas contracts was she also aware that the last time it advertised there were 1200 applications for 111 jobs; if so does she still believe that people are unemployed because they are not looking hard enough? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: As I think I put it in my primary answer we have also heard that there are 1200 people whom it has recently taken on but that is casual work as well as part-time and as well as full-time. It is quite recently so I am certainly saying that some of that work is casual to take it over the Christmas period. But as you say I think there are higher numbers of applications for some jobs than others. For example I got an email this morning from a guy who said that in Taupo recently he advertised two positions and received six applications three of which did not think they would pass the drug test two of which did not think they could start work at 7.30 and one of which did not bother coming back with the paperwork. To receive so few applications with so many out of work or unable to get work just does not ring true. The persons he required were unskilled labourers. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: When she listed—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I want to be able to hear the member please. I want to be able to hear. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I want to be able to hear Jacinda Ardern. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: When she listed Bunnings and New World as proof that there are jobs available was she aware that neither of the stores in question is open yet and one has not even been built and that the last time Bunnings advertised there were 800 applications for 70 positions and for New World there were 2700 applicants for 150 openings; if so does she still believe there are people unemployed because they are not looking hard enough? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: It is a bit of a bouncy job market out there—a bit like me. You know it is a bit like the economy is grumpy like him; the job market is bouncy like me. Look the reality is that we have people getting jobs and we have people who then go off tomorrow. 
Grant Robertson 
: He’s grumpy you’re bouncy! 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: He is grumpy I am bouncy—that is about the load of it. Let me give you an example. Just today we have had 26 new jobs come into Work and Income. We have probably had about the same number that have come off because they have been filled. The member can make assertions that I have said there is a job for everyone. There is not. It is tough out there. But I do say that you need to be looking so you can get some of those jobs that are there. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Before I call the honourable member I have just been accused of being bouncy and dopey in that last set of interjections. They could both be true but please when members interject “you” they are referring to the Speaker. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: When she listed that Brightwater was looking for 40 engineers was she aware that the same firm cut up to 40 jobs earlier in the year and that Taylor Preston which she also listed is a seasonal meatworks operating in the same industry where there have been up to 300 job losses since September alone; if so is the economy bouncy grumpy or just suffering from a lack of a plan from that Government? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: The member can get all uptight and angry but the reality is that jobs come on and jobs come off. That is the point I was making yesterday. The member can pretend that there are no jobs whatsoever out there; in fact we have had 1000 new jobs come into Work and Income just about every week for the last 12 months. That is the reality. No one is pretending it is perfect no one is saying it is ideal but I also do not think that the member getting uptight and angry about what jobs might or might not be there is kind of helping anyone either. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I call Jacinda Ardern. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I want to hear Jacinda Ardern. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Which of her contradictory statements yesterday does she stand by—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I want to hear the question. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Which of her contradictory statements yesterday does she stand by: that benefit numbers have doubled on her watch because of “some of the toughest times worldwide” or that her punitive welfare reforms are still justified because “there are jobs and people will get one only if they are looking.”? 
Hon Member 
: Someone might get one in the weekend. 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Yes I do think there may be a new job going this weekend and I wish the member luck with that. But look at the end of the day there are jobs coming on there are jobs coming off. It is tough. No one is saying that things are easy at all. I know that the member struggles to understand that but that is the reality. We have people coming on benefit; we have people coming off benefit. No one pretends that everyone who wants a job will get one today but the member may be lucky and get one this weekend if she holds out long enough.