Friday 8 Feb 2002

The government's proposal to keep paying beneficiaries the dole for three weeks after they start work, on top of their wages, will just encourage people to go on the dole, ACT leader Richard Prebble says.

"Experience overseas has shown that these sorts of schemes get rorted. People will go on the dole for a while and then take a job, so they will qualify for the double-whammy payment.

"The situation where we have rising long-term unemployment while overall unemployment is falling, is purely of this government's making.

"Labour has removed what work tests there were. Overseas experience has shown that requiring people on the dole to do some form of work is extremely effective in reducing unemployment. It's also cheaper than trying to bribe the unemployed to get a job," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

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