Monday, 18 December 2006, 1:44 pm Press Release: Lindsay Mitchell
Media Release
Drop In DPB Numbers Challenged
Monday,
December 18, 2006
According to Minister for Social
Development, David Benson-Pope, DPB numbers have fallen
below 100,000 for the first time since 1993.
Welfare
commentator Lindsay Mitchell challenged this claim to
success. "In December 1993 the unemployment rate was 9.2
percent. Why is it that with an unemployment rate of only
3.8 percent there are still the same number of people on
the DPB?"
She also notes, with some skepticism, "Bear in
mind too that if you rename the 'DPB' the 'In-Work'
payment there will naturally be a drop in the number of
people on it. People who were on a partial DPB due to
working part-time are transferring onto the In-Work
payment, which pays more."
"The dropping DPB numbers need
to be put into context. Welfare, by any other name, is
still welfare."
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