Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:623;Page:18664] 
7.  
GEORGINA BEYER (Labour—Wairarapa) 
 to the  
Minister of Youth Affairs 
: What reports has he received on young people and the labour market? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister of Youth Affairs) 
: 
 Data from the household labour force survey released last Friday shows that the annual average unemployment rate for 15 to 24-year-olds in 2004 had fallen to 9.4 percent which is the lowest rate since 1988 and 10 percentage points below the all-time high reached in 1992. 
The number of young New Zealanders in employment has grown by 44000 since this Labour-Progressive Government was elected. The number of young people on the unemployment benefit dropped by an astonishing 62 percent between 1999 and 2004. 
Georgina Beyer 
: What have been the Government’s key initiatives for getting the youth unemployment rate down? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Government has invested in a range of programmes to create greater opportunities for young New Zealanders. These include creating more than 7000 Modern Apprenticeships; the Gateway programme which addresses the needs of senior secondary school students; expanding careers advice; the huge expansion in industry training; and Work and Income placing special emphasis on placing young people into jobs. The results are quite astounding and that is why we will carry on investing in that very important area of policy. 
Craig McNair 
: What will the Minister do about the OECD report of January 2005 which indicates that New Zealanders are now categorised as low middle-income earners along with two former Communist countries; and a report that average student debt has increased from $11664 in 1999 to $14242 in 2004 giving working and young New Zealanders a bleak outlook under this Labour Government? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Of course with unemployment at a record 3.6 percent we are certainly looking to issues like skills training productivity exporting adding value to commodities the list goes on and on to provide higher wages to New Zealanders to join that higher group in the OECD. 
On the issue of student debt the member might like to know for example that the Swedish Prime Minister who has just been through this country would be telling him that young Swedish people do pay for their education. They pay for it after they have finished their degree. They pay for it through a very high level of tax. 
Marc Alexander 
: Can the Minister confirm that in the year to October 2004 2342 young people received the independent youth benefit and that 1804 of them—or a full 77 percent—graduated on to other benefits; and what specific steps does he intend to take to stop the independent youth benefit from becoming the “dole with training wheels”? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I was just flicking through my notes because I am sure the member will be delighted to know that under this Government the number of people who were on the independent youth benefit but have moved off it to do other things such as education and jobs has dropped dramatically. Unfortunately I cannot quite find that number but when the member asks me afterwards I will pass it on to him. He will be very pleased with the news. 
Marc Alexander 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was quite specific with regard to 77 percent of those on the independent youth benefit having graduated to other benefits. How the Minister can suggest there was a self-congratulatory fall in the numbers is beyond the imagination of anybody. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That may well be so but the Minister addressed the question. 
Georgina Beyer 
: What is the Government doing to assist young people during that crucial period in the transition from school to work? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The Government is doing a great deal. It has introduced in particular the Youth Transitions Service which focuses on those young people who are at risk of falling through the cracks once they leave school. The first five youth transitions services which have been developed in consultation with their communities have started in Whangarei Waitakere Rotorua New Plymouth and Porirua. Last month I announced the next five locations where the Youth Transitions Service will be established—namely Manukau Hamilton Gisborne Upper Hutt and the far north. 
The service will be available in 14 regions by 2007 covering one in two people in that target group. The pace at which the service is becoming a reality is evidence of this Government’s serious commitment to young people.