Jacinda
ARDERN
Spokesperson for Social Development

31 January 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Statistics can’t hide the truth

With almost twice as many people on the unemployment benefit now as when National first became the government, it is glaringly obvious it has to take a serious look at its policies, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

“Statistics, which should have been released before now, show that as of the end of last month there were 29,456 more Kiwis receiving the unemployment benefit than in December 2008.That’s a 96.5 per cent increase in just three years.

“The Government has been banging on about a brighter future and more jobs for a while now. The rhetoric is fine, but words without actions are meaningless,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“The figures tell their own story. It’s obvious now why the Minister sat on them for two months to avoid pre-election coverage; they show the Government is failing to stem the tide of jobless.

“John Key has promised more jobs. He needs to deliver on that promise and he needs to do it soon.

“He and his colleagues are all for talking about New Zealand having to simply ride out the storm, yet our Australian counterparts – who continue to pull ahead of us – have proactively invested in new employment and education policies.

“New Zealand can do - and should be doing – better,” Jacinda Ardern said.

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