Maharey On Shaky Ground

Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey's reiteration that a person on the dole, who works one hour, is not unemployed, reveals that he has succumbed to his own officialese, ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said today.

"Mr Maharey's personal attack on me, in regards to the Household Labour Force Survey, is simply another example of Mr Maharey feeling the need to lash out after being caught out in his usual spin," said Dr Newman.

"The HLFS says that anyone who works one hour over two years is employed. To agree with this is clearly ridiculous, yet Mr Maharey clings to it like a drowning man to a rope.

"The Minister is on thin ice. Commonsense would tell anyone that someone receiving the dole, who works one hour a week, is not employed and is no position to be independent of the state. The sooner we get real on this issue the better.

"It is time we took an honest approach to unemployment figures. I greatly look forward to the select committee inquiring into this issue, so that we can put forward some sensible suggestions to Government that stops the use of misleading information," Dr Newman said.

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