National promised more jobs and 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker. Three years on, unemployment is higher and National is nowhere near its own target – so now it is changing the rules instead.
"National promised New Zealanders more jobs and fewer people needing welfare support. Instead, unemployment has remained stubbornly high and its own forecasts show it is not on track to meet its target,” Labour’s social development and employment spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said.
“Rather than creating jobs and growing the economy, National is changing the rules and making it harder for people to get the support they need.
“That isn't a jobs plan. It’s moving the goalposts because National has failed to deliver.
“People want to work. They want a decent job, a secure income and enough money to provide for their families.
“National promised to fix the cost of living and has failed. It has failed to deliver the economic growth and job opportunities, and now it wants to make people struggling to find work pay the price.
“We need to approach welfare with compassion, dignity and respect. People need support in their hardest moments while backing them to get back into employment.
"You don’t fix poverty by making people poorer.
“Labour's plan is to get more Kiwis into work by getting on with the work New Zealand needs – building homes, upgrading schools and hospitals, and investing in the infrastructure our communities need.
“We’ll offer all graduate nurses a job and expand the Apprenticeship Boost to create more opportunities for people to get into skilled work.
“National set itself a target of 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker. It has failed to deliver and its own forecasts show it isn’t on track.
“We cannot afford another three years of National,” Willow-Jean Prime said.
