Asenati Lole-Taylor MP
Spokesperson for Social Policy/Welfare
18 January 2013

Beneficiary Numbers On The Rise Again Under National

New Zealand First says beneficiary numbers are on the rise again despite desperate attempts by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett to say otherwise.

Official figures released this week show 339,095 people received a benefit, up from 320,942 in the previous quarter – an increase of nearly 19,000.

Welfare spokesperson Asenati Lole-Taylor says of major concern is the extra 3000 people who received the unemployment benefit in the last quarter.

“That will come as no surprise to the thousands of people who are unemployed, under-employed, or looking for work but ineligible for the dole.

“When all those looking for work are added together then it makes a complete mockery of the official unemployment rate of 7.3 per cent.”

Mrs Lole-Taylor says National’s record of creating jobs since it first took office in 2008 is appalling.

“The number of people on the unemployment benefit in December 2008 when National first came to power was only 30,508. Over their four years in office that figure has increased by almost 23,000.

“Minister Bennett can try and spin it anyway she likes. But to a rational thinker these figures illustrate a Government lacking in ideas and vision when it comes to jobs and our economy,” says Mrs Lole-Taylor.

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ENDS

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