Katherine Rich
National Social Services Spokesperson

4 March 2004

No-go zones a jobs joke

The Government should be embarrassed by the dopey no-go zones policy, in light of proof that there is no tidal wave of unemployed people heading to these 259 targeted rural areas, says National's Social Services spokesperson Katherine Rich.

"In fact, in nearly half of the Government's new 'limited employment areas' there has been no wave at all - not even a trickle.

"123 of the new 'no-go' zones as at October 2003 had not one single resident on the unemployment benefit.

"It is also concerning that in a reply to a written question last year, Steve Maharey could not point to one single person, in the last 5 years, who had failed work test requirements by moving to a remote area.

"So much for Minister Maharey's waffle about 'evidence-based' policy. There is no foundation to the Minister's bizarre idea of specifying to kiwis exactly where they can and cannot live," said Mrs Rich.

Ends

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