Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 13 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6500. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
9. 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development 
: Does she stand by her statement that “the Government is taking an active work-based approach” to her welfare reforms? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development) 
: 
 Yes because unlike the previous Government that left people to languish on benefits long-term and actually moved people around benefits—on to the sickness benefit and on to the invalids benefit—to get those unemployment benefit numbers down this National-led Government is taking an active work-based approach. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Given that there were fewer people on the benefit under Labour without her punitive changes to social security how can she justify her crusade to push people off Government support when unemployment is at its highest level this century? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I know that on “Planet Labour” there was no economic recession. I know that on “Planet Labour” we have not actually seen some of the toughest times worldwide. What we have seen is actually New Zealanders being remarkably resilient. What we have seen for example is 21328 young people aged between 18 and 24 leave the unemployment benefit last year. That is compared with only 8090 in 2008. An increase of 164 percent of young people went into work last year compared with 2008. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Can she confirm that since June 2009 18180 people have stopped receiving a benefit because they left New Zealand to try their luck somewhere where they are not even eligible for Government support rather than to have their plight ignored by this Government? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I do not have that particular number but I did ask that question before I came into the House today. In the year to October 3 percent of working-age people left a benefit to go overseas and in 2008 2 percent left. So we have actually seen just a 1 percent increase in the last 4 years. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: On what basis does she believe that “There are jobs out there for people who are stepping out” given that unemployment is at its highest level this century or did she literally mean stepping out of the country? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: If the member had listened to the answer to the previous question she would have heard that actually it is only 3 percent to October this year who have left in that time. But let me give the member an example. The Warehouse Group has 300 full-time and part-time jobs across three stores available between October and January. Brightwater Engineers Ltd is looking for 40 staff at the moment. Mitre 10 is opening a store in Rotorua and it wants 50 permanent—[ 
Interruption 
] Well the member asked where the jobs are and I am giving her an example. Forty staff are required for the new Bunnings warehouse in New Plymouth. Taylor Preston meatworks has got 160 jobs that are opening in October. A New World store that is opening in Paraparaumu— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I am sorry Mr Speaker. It is a long— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the Minister has made her point. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: If there are jobs out there freely available why have unemployment benefit numbers doubled on her watch? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: No one is saying they are freely available; they are the member’s own words. What I am saying is that it is tough out there but there are jobs and people will get one only if they are looking. So people need to be actively looking to be able to take up the opportunities that are out there. It is as simple as that.