Zero accountability for $295 million programme

“Labour has poured more than quarter of a billion dollars of taxpayer money into a jobs programme that they’ve utterly failed to monitor,” says National’s Welfare spokeswoman, Judith Collins.

The Job Plus scheme gives subsidies to employers who take on beneficiaries.

“The Government has paid out $295,961,094 in subsidies, but it can’t say how many people it has helped into jobs or how many have returned to a benefit,” says Ms Collins.

“Labour can’t even be certain that the beneficiaries aren’t just circulating through the system time and time again.

“National is determined to be far more careful with taxpayer money.

“This Labour Government has already spent more than quarter of a billion dollars on this programme. But without proper record-keeping how can they make an educated call on its success or failure?

“Are Labour just embarrassed at what the figures might reveal?

“Given that the PATHS programme to rehabilitate sickness and invalids beneficiaries has been such a spectacular failure, wouldn’t it have been wise to keep a closer watch on this significant consumer of public money?”

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