Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Street Maryan: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:660;Page:8822] 
10. 
Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Does she stand by her statement that “This Government has made unemployment our No. 1 priority during the course of this recession”? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 Yes I do. 
Hon Maryan Street 
: Has the Minister seen today’s  
Sydney Morning Herald 
 which reports that unemployment figures in Australia have dropped to 5.3 percent falling for the fourth consecutive month and that 52000 jobs were created there in January alone; if so what comparable action is she taking to close the gap with Australia? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: No I have not read the  
Sydney Morning Herald 
. I have been concentrating on New Zealand and being very busy in that job.  
Kelvin Davis 
: What is she planning to do to help the 25000 Maori who now find themselves unemployed unable to find work and facing increases in electricity and food prices? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: What we do have within the Ministry of Social Development is assistance for some people through hardship assistance. We have certainly seen an increase in people looking for that over the last year. We are certainly seeing more emphasis on Community Max in areas like that. Nearly 50 percent of take-up in Community Max has been for Maori. We are seeing $1.5 billion in infrastructure with broadband. We are seeing roading programmes that are creating jobs for those very New Zealanders. 
Hon Sir Roger Douglas 
: Has the Minister seen the analysis that shows that the doubling of youth unemployment since April 2008 is far greater than usual during a recession with two out of five Maori youth now unemployed; if so does she agree that the abolition of youth rates has been a major contributor to this unusually large increase? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Yes I have seen evidence that youth have been most affected by this recession. I actually put it down to the fact that for 9 years under Labour the education system left those people behind so when they came out looking for jobs they did not have the education and skill level that would keep them in the market. That is why national standards are so important. 
Hekia Parata 
: Tena koe e Te Mana Whakawa huri noa i to tatou Whare. Nga mihi o te tau hou. 
[ 
Greetings to you Mr Speaker and throughout our House. Greetings of the New Year. 
] 
Can the Minister give an example of how this Government has assisted— 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I apologise to the member; I thought she was raising a point of order. The point of order I want to raise is that Sir Roger Douglas’ question was about youth rates of pay in the employment market and there was no attempt to address that whatsoever. 
Hon Paula Bennett 
: Mr Speaker— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I do not need any further help. The Minister answered the first part of the question and then offered a different view in respect of the second part. 
Hekia Parata 
: Can the Minister give an example of how this Government has assisted those struggling in a difficult employment market? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: As I referred to yesterday it is a big list and one that takes quite some time. The $348 million that has gone into home insulation has provided 2000 jobs. The $1.5 million this year for Healthy Homes has provided another 1500 jobs. Job Ops and Community Max have provided another million dollars just for extra support for Student Job Search. Another million dollars is going to local councils for youth development partnerships There were 1600 summer scholarships for students. The list goes on. 
Hon Sir Roger Douglas 
: Does the Minister agree with the Hon Kate Wilkinson who yesterday stated that the abolition of youth rates priced young people off the market; if so will she support my member’s bill being released this afternoon to reintroduce a youth minimum wage? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I have not seen any evidence in both my role as Minister of Social Development and Minister of Employment through Vote Employment that shows evidence that young people are losing their jobs because of the youth rates. 
Carmel Sepuloni 
: Given that even if the Minister combined all of the placements and Job Ops Community Max and the like she will be assisting only a mere 5 percent of the 168000 New Zealanders looking for work what additional measures does she propose to help the high proportion of over 12000 Pacific people who are now unemployed and will not gain places in these schemes? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I think there is a key difference between us—and it is quite evident. We believe that growing business helping businesses will actually help them have the confidence to take people up on jobs. That is what this Government is doing. It is about growing the economy instead of dividing just that piece of pie differently. That is going to create jobs. That is going to give jobs for those very people. 
Moana Mackey 
: What is she doing to address the nearly 10000 people in the Gisborne - Hawke’s Bay region who are currently unemployed especially the nearly 2500 people who have lost their jobs in this region since National took office? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: It is true that that area has been particularly hard hit. But we are seeing seasonal work come on and the numbers there starting to move. The Work and Income office has had good reports of people turning in to work as well. But we are certainly seeing that our rural areas are some of our hardest hit—there are no two ways about it. But that unfortunately is the effect of the global recession.