ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble said today the Government was wrongly trying to take credit for employment figures it had little influence over.

Mr Prebble said recent general employment growth was not due to the Government’s influence as it was driven by economic factors the Government had little control of such as strong agricultural growth and the falling dollar.

“Where the Government has great influence however, is over long term unemployment. Those are the figures that are affected by Government policy and this Government has failed totally. The number of people out of work more than 12 months has risen nearly 20 percent to 105,894 since the coalition came to power. For the first time the number of long term unemployed makes up more than half of the people out of work.

“This Employment Minister has the most appalling record of any Employment Minister since the Great Depression.

“The rise in long term unemployment is directly connected to the Government’s politically correct programme in cancelling the work for the dole and any scheme that requires the unemployed to take active steps to get back into employment,” Hon Richard Prebble said.

ENDS

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