Annette KING
Deputy Leader

6 October 2011

22 percent increase in beneficiaries under National

There are now just under 60,000 more Kiwis reliant on benefits in 2011 than when National took office in 2008 an increase of 21,8 per cent, Labour Deputy Leader Annette King says.

“The National claims Kiwis are better off better the reality is there are more people living on benefits, nearly 220,000 children living in poverty and real incomes have not kept up with inflation,” Annette King said.

“National are clearly out of touch with what is really going on in New Zealand when they take no responsibility for the poor decisions they have made.

“Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett today simply dismissed the massive increase in beneficiary numbers by saying ‘job hunting isn’t easy’.

“The reason job hunting isn’t easy is because the National Government has done nothing to grow the number of jobs.

“Each week we read about job losses, and yet the Government stays cloistered in the Beehive with no answers on how to create jobs.

“Three years ago we heard about a cycleway and that was it. Three years on Kiwis deserve better,” Annette King said.

ENDS

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