Hawke’s Bay benefit numbers tell real story

Labour MP Rick Barker today urged people to look at the facts before getting caught up in the National Party’s new found interest in New Zealand’s ‘underclass’.

“It needs to be pointed out that it was the National Government in the 1990s that created the ‘underclass’. National policies such as the Employments Contracts Act, market rentals, benefit cuts, cuts to education and health, and rabid privatisation resulted in skyrocketing unemployment, overcrowding and social unrest,” said Rick Barker.

“Since taking office 1999 Labour has been putting things right.

“We have reduced Unemployment Benefit numbers from 161,000 in 1999 to fewer than 40,000, and our active welfare policies have reduced long-term employment by over 70 percent. Our Working for Families policy is lifting living standards for thousands of Kiwi families and is predicted to reduce child poverty by up to 70 percent.

“In Hawke’s Bay the number of unemployed is at record lows. In January 2007, 1,003 people were registered as unemployed in Hawke’s Bay, compared with 7,240 in December 1999.

“My own town of Hastings has undergone a dramatic transformation. There are now 312 people registered as unemployed, compared with 2,416 in January 1999. This means that for every 100 people who were unemployed in 1999, 87 now have a job!

“The Labour-led Government is continuing to drive down benefit numbers through policies that support people into work, and services that meet their needs.

“While National talks about an underclass, our policies are putting record numbers into jobs, apprenticeships and vocational training. We’re putting things right,” said Rick Barker.

Unemployment / Unemployment Hardship Numbers (last ten years)
Flaxmere Hastings Hastings West Napier Taradale Waipukurau
Jan 1997 3160 2782 394
Jan 1998 871 2383 2296 729 472
Jan 1999 948 2416 2361 839 472
Jan 2000 1021 2382 2415 873 516
Jan 2001 806 1975 2108 703 397
Jan 2002 850 1856 1935 633 344
Jan 2003 771 855 531 1658 512 365
Jan 2004 457 565 290 1189 382 172
Jan 2005 437 328 251 625 224 112
Jan 2006 243 280 246 561 153 54
Jan 2007 114 185 127 391 129 57

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