Maharey's Programme Will Only 'Make Work' For Officials

Steve Maharey's Community Employment Organisations (CEOs) programme is just more evidence of his flim-flam and hypocrisy, National's Social Services spokesperson Bob Simcock said today.

"In recent months the Minister has justified the destruction of the Community Work scheme by saying officials are better off spending time getting people into real jobs than supervising 'make work schemes'.

"But the CEOs programme is just one more reshuffle of existing activity to no particular benefit.

"Like all schemes it will offer temporary 'employment' in 'jobs' that can only be sustained through Government subsidy - what Mr Maharey used to deride as 'make work schemes'.

"A subsidised job providing low cost lunches to children in low decile schools under the CEO scheme is no different from a subsidised job providing low cost fire wood to low-income families under the Community Work scheme.

"Mr Maharey is making people do a lot of work rearranging things so he can justify his wish to be seen to be making a difference even if that difference is totally illusory.

"All of this 'make work' activity for officials avoids the real issue that Mr Maharey refuses to deal with. There are a large number of 'real' jobs out there for low skilled people, but there are also a large number of unemployed people who choose not to take those jobs.

"Reshuffling the 'make work' schemes won't solve that problem. And because Mr Maharey is afraid of upsetting beneficiary advocate groups we are unlikely to see any 'real' solutions soon," Bob Simcock said.

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