Government continues to have no plan for high Maori youth unemployment

Hone Harawira, MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau

In question time yesterday Hone Harawira, MANA Leader and MP for Te Tai Tokerau, asked Minister of Finance, Hon Bill English, how it was acceptable that the government claims the economy is going in the right direction when Maori youth unemployment is at 22.1%, nearly four times the national rate of 6%.

"And the scary thing is" said Mr Harawira, "it could be double that if tens of thousands hadn't up and gone to Australia to find work."

"The Minister huffed and puffed, waxed and waned, and he even tried a bit of flattery, but the upshot of it all was that there hasn't been, isn't, and won't be any kind of plan to get young Maori into work."

"Part of that's because there's no plan to actually create new jobs, and part of it's because the government continues to deny the ugly reality of racism in the labour market. It's no accident that alongside high Maori youth unemployment, the unemployment rate for Pacific Island youth is 25%.

'The government has failed to step up for our young people and provide them with a decent future. The rate's even higher than when they took office. It's a clear example of the fact that the National-Maori Party coalition has been a failed experiment for Maori and needs to end quick smart."

ENDS

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