Celebrating 25 Years of Scoop
Licence needed for work use Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Maori Party Plan May Pay Maori Less

Maori Party Plan May Pay Maori Less

“I hate the thought of any Maori being unemployed” says Labour's Te Tai Tokerau Candidate, Kelvin Davis, “but making Maori work for the dole is a poorly conceived idea and is more gesture than substance.”

“There are just five thousand people who have been on the dole for more than 12 months. During the last National government's time that figure was 100,000. With the recent announcement to bring forward infrastructure construction, further jobs will be created. Labour knows that the best form of social support is a job.

The problem for Maori is less about finding work, and more about gaining the skills to take advantage of the work that is out there. Labour's policy announcements to provide training to those made redundant and, those in work but looking to upskill or retrain, will help Maori immensely.

“If the Maori Party were to have their way and unemployed Maori were made to work for the dole, it could well undercut the labour market and push down wages for those Maori already in jobs.”

“A bit more depth of thought needs to go into their policy. Their work for the dole idea may hurt more Maori than it will help.”


ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.