Louise Upston - Social Development

23 January 2020

More young people are joining the dole queue thanks to the Government’s failure to get youth into work, National’s Social Development spokesperson Louise Upston says.

“Today’s welfare statistics show 7000 more young people are waiting in dole queues rather than getting a foot on the career ladder compared to when the Government took office.

“It’s important to intervene early and get young people off benefits as quickly as possible to avoid a lifetime of welfare dependence. The Government doesn’t seem to have a plan to do this.

“Last year the Government quietly dropped the Prime Minister’s commitment to 4000 Mana in Mahi places for young people with no alternative plan for getting young people into work.

“The fact the Government is scaling back its flagship youth employment programme while dole numbers are rising shows it isn’t serious about tackling the root causes of poverty.

“National’s Social Services Discussion Document released last year shows we’ve got the ideas and ambition to get young people into work so they can start to build their futures.”

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