Nothing bouncy or humorous about NZ's unemployment rate
Four Auckland Action Against Poverty supporters, including Sue Bradford, who locked on to the regional MSD office in
October will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow, Friday the 16th of November at 10am pleading not guilty to
charges of willful trespass.
Their demonstration was a call for decent job creation - not intimidation.
“Auckland Action Against Poverty's determination to highlight the serious need for decent job creation – not
intimidation, stands in strong contrast to Paula Bennett who continues to see unemployment figures as fodder for her
attempts at comedy,” says Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Sarah Thompson.
“Judging by Bennett’s flip and dismissive comment yesterday that the job market is ‘bouncy’, she is not listening to the
deep concerns of the unemployed and under-employed that not enough jobs are being created.
“Not only were her comments inappropriate they were inaccurate – there is nothing bouncy about the country’s
unemployment rate – it is only going one way; up.
“New Zealand's unemployment rate is rising 1.5 times faster than the OECD average. As Bennett would have it, based on
her claims made in parliament yesterday, we are suddenly putting in 1.5 times less effort looking for work than the rest
of the OECD.
“What research does Bennett have to back up her implication that people are not looking for jobs? The same research that
shows that punitive sanctions will move people into work?
“We need decent job creation now – not Bennett relying on populist sentiment and stigma to account for this Government's
lack of effective policy.”
ENDS