Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Sitting date: 23 October 2012. Volume:685;Page:6036. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
4. 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: Does he stand by his statement regarding Australia that “It has been a bit of a safety valve for jobs for people who can’t find jobs here”; if so what advice if any has he received on the effects of emigration on the level of unemployment in New Zealand? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 Yes I do stand by that statement. It has become I think commonplace to understand that Australia and New Zealand have pretty much one labour market. In fact there is empirical evidence that shows that if wages rise in Western Australia New Zealanders are more likely to respond to that than Australians living in Sydney or Melbourne. In response to the second part of the question I have seen a number of reports on emigration and on unemployment although none specifically on the issue the member raises. Treasury advises that emigration trends among many other factors are taken into account in forecast updates and those forecast updates of course include forecasts of the rate of unemployment. 
Hon David Parker 
: Does he accept that if it was not for the level of migration to Australia the number of people unemployed in New Zealand would be higher? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Not necessarily. 
Hon David Parker 
: Is the reason he has not requested any advice on the effect of emigration to Australia on suppressing New Zealand’s unemployment that it would make his Government’s record on jobs look even worse? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: No. In the circumstances the Government’s record on jobs is very positive; 160000 more New Zealanders have jobs now than 4 years ago despite one of the longer economic recessions in a generation. That is a tribute to the many workplaces where people reduced their hours to keep their jobs where staff and management have worked together to ensure that those businesses can survive through tough times. The Government makes a contribution but the credit for job growth in New Zealand goes to the management and the workers in our businesses. 
Hon David Parker 
: Did he promise at the election that under his Government an additional 170000 full-time jobs would be created during this 3-year term of office? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I think that the number of 170000 may come from the initial Budget forecast for 2009 perhaps. I cannot remember the year exactly. What we are pleased about is that despite the fact that the economy turned out to be much different than was expected through 2008 we have nevertheless had job growth. That is partly to do with the Government continuing to invest in large-scale infrastructure projects and maintaining public spending and public services and partly to do with the resilience and adaptability of our workplaces. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that the number of people unemployed is now the highest it has been under his Government—162000 according to his favoured household labour force survey—what does he estimate the number of unemployed would be were it not for the 170000 people who have left for Australia under his watch? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I have not done that calculation and do not intend to because it is hypothetical. The Government is focusing on the one decision that creates jobs and that is the decision of a business to hire somebody. We are doing everything we can to make it easier for New Zealand businesses to make the decision to hire someone. The Opposition is doing everything it can to stop businesses doing anything.