Beaumont Carol: General Debate 
Beaumont Carol: General Debate 
[Volume:675;Page:21071] 
CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour) 
: 
 I want to return to the issue of our young people because as is often said young people are our future. New Zealand has the worst youth unemployment record in the OECD—that is right: the worst in the OECD. That is a disgrace. There are 58000 15 to 24-year-olds who are not in work not in training and not in school and 24000 of those are under the age of 20. These are our children and our grandchildren; these are the people whom we will expect to take their part in our economy and we are throwing them on the scrap heap. The Government’s response to date has been nothing short of lazy and piecemeal. This is the issue that should be at the forefront of all of our attention. It should not be about spin and it should not be about gimmicks but that is precisely what this Government’s response to youth unemployment has been. 
In contrast Labour has a coherent plan. We have a coherent economic plan unlike the Government which does not have a plan. Our plan will focus on productivity and lifting investment in our productive economy. 
Chris Tremain 
: Tax more spend more borrow more—great plan! 
CAROL BEAUMONT 
: It will use things like a tax reform package to give the right signals— 
Chris Tremain 
: There you go—what I just said. 
CAROL BEAUMONT 
: —and it is not about taxing more. That is just another example of Government spin—of National spin. It is about reforming our tax policy. We will be investing in research and development we will be dealing with a volatile New Zealand dollar and as part of that economic plan we will be looking at significant investment in the area of skills. 
Other members have spoken about our youth skills and employment package and I want to talk about one particular aspect. But can I add the fact that I am also very proud of this package. This is a package that will really make a difference and that really resonates in our communities. I have to say that Melville must have changed a lot since I went to school there and lived there. I find it hard to believe that the people of Melville would be happy about 58000 young people being on the scrap heap. I do not know whom Mr Macindoe was talking to. 
Anyway Modern Apprenticeships have declined by 10 percent in the past 2 years under this Government. Labour has come up with a plan that would see employers receiving a subsidy of $8700 and that would be for an additional 9000 apprenticeship places—that is right: 9000 more apprenticeship places. That has been welcomed across the board by business groups by unions and by the building and construction industry in particular which is suffering from major skills shortages and is facing a rebuild in Christchurch with no people to do it. It has been welcomed across the board because this is a good idea. 
We do have to spend money in this area but it is an investment; it is an investment in our future and it is an investment in our young people. Every parent and grandparent and every decent-thinking New Zealander wants that sort of investment in something like an apprenticeship which provides a really effective form of learning. It has stood the test of time. It is a process whereby those who have skills impart those skills to our young people in a workplace context. It is about giving young people a future. I have spoken to principals who have talked about the difference that getting a young person who is at risk of disengaging from school on an apprenticeship makes to their whole life course. It gives them a whole range of opportunities it gives them hope and it gives them pride because they are doing something they can see and something that makes a difference in our economy because we do have massive skill gaps. 
A person who does an apprenticeship has a range of opportunities. They can continue doing that work as an employee. They can establish their own business in that area. They can go overseas with a recognisable qualification that will be well rewarded. They can build a good future for themselves and their families. More apprenticeships are important to plug the very real skill gaps that we have in our country. We have lost so many skilled New Zealanders to Australia. Even the Prime Minister of Australia sees us as part of their skills strategy. We have a problem and the Government is failing to address that problem. 
Of course the apprenticeship model has the other great feature which is that the young person is earning and learning at the same time. I can tell members that on the streets of Maungakiekie when I have been talking about this package people believe that this is a good idea an idea whose time has come.