Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 27 November 2012. Volume:686;Page:6766. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
5. 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Economic Development 
: Does he accept the findings of the most recent Household Labour Force Survey that show the unemployment rate at its highest level in 13 years; if not why not? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 I welcome the member to his acting role. I accept that the household labour force survey—[ 
Interruption 
]—another day another David. Can I say that I accept that the household labour force survey is a key indicator of employment and unemployment although not the only one. The different measures do not always agree. The latest household labour force survey for example says as the member points out that the unemployment rate is at its highest rate since 1999 and yet for example the number of people on an unemployment benefit is around 100000 fewer than in 1999 despite a big increase in New Zealand’s population over that period. 
Hon David Parker 
: How many additional people have become unemployed since he became Minister of employment in December 2011—is it 20000 or 24000 more? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Again it depends on the measure that you use. If you look at the number of people on the unemployment benefit that number has actually dropped over the year to September from 55700 to 50400 which is 5300 fewer over that same period of time. So it all depends on which figure you use. 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that the household labour force survey shows 31600 fewer people employed in manufacturing in the 4 years since 2008 the quarterly employment survey shows 31000 fewer filled jobs in manufacturing and the linked employer-employee data set shows 21000 fewer jobs in the period 2008 to 2011—which is the latest statistic—does he still agree with the Prime Minister that “None of the stats that Treasury provided to my office argue the case that there is anything other than actually quite consistent to modest growth in manufacturing.”? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Well I think the member is once again playing with the start dates to suit his case—which is fair enough; I mean you would do that in his position—but the reality is that over the last couple of years since the global financial crisis which actually hit manufacturing right around the world as Mr Parker may not be aware we have actually had a pretty steady result there. If you actually look at the Reserve Bank report on that same matter the Reserve Bank says that the issue is construction not actually manufacturing. It is the construction business that is the challenge—in other words the supplying of manufactured things for construction— 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Can’t do the numbers. 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: —and actually the rest of the manufacturing sector is holding up very well. Who cannot do the numbers? 
Hon David Parker 
: Does he now regret dismissing— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I apologise to the honourable member. Again I say to National Party front-benchers—I have been critical of the Labour benches for making too much noise and now it is the National members being too noisy. 
Hon David Parker 
: Does he now regret dismissing members who raised the numerous job losses in this House over recent months as being from another planet which I think is the phrase he has used given that the statistical evidence now shows that unemployment rose sharply in the third quarter to the highest level in 13 years? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I have not dismissed concerns that are raised when people lose their jobs because it is a very difficult situation for those who lose their jobs. The point I am making is that we are in a very challenging situation. We have had some job growth but not as much as we would like. But I would point out to the member that if he is genuinely concerned about unemployment in New Zealand he should look across the Tasman because interestingly they have lost around 60000 or 70000 jobs in manufacturing over the last 3 years but they have created around 120000-odd jobs in the mining sector. If the member could actually get together with his friends in the Greens— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! [ 
Interruption 
] Order! That is not the Minister’s responsibility. 
Hon David Parker 
: If as the Minister implies his Government has no responsibility for these jobs losses and rising unemployment why did his Government hold a job summit in 2009 when the unemployment rate was 5.1 percent and is his failure to call another job summit because his Government has got no plan to change course despite rising unemployment falling exports and the Canterbury real build being the only source of growth in the country? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I am sorry but the member again is on another planet because actually the world has been going through a global financial crisis. Actually he speaks of the Canterbury earthquakes as if they have been some lucky thing but in actual fact for the New Zealand economy and for the people of Christchurch they have been a very unlucky thing. Yes we are going to get some benefit out of the post-earthquake construction but actually it has cost New Zealand and the people of Christchurch substantially and so it is only proper that they actually benefit in terms of the rebuild. If the member is saying that that somehow should be discounted away then truly that is ludicrous.