1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: The state of our economy showing up in welfare stats. 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: New record was set in the June quarter. We've got 3 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: nearly three hundred and eighty one thousand on the main benefit. 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Sanctions are also up significantly in the job seeker area. 5 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston with us good morning. 6 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 2: Good morning to you, Mike. 7 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,759 Speaker 1: Are you worried about these numbers. It's a lot of 8 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: people on the. 9 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 2: Benefit, it is, and unfortunately it's the numbers that we 10 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 2: were expecting with these very challenging economic times. But we're 11 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: not sitting on our hands. We are doing everything we 12 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 2: can to support these people into work. 13 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: How many people are on there because it's no fault 14 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: of their own versus how many people are on there 15 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: because they can't be bothered? 16 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 2: Well, I think that's the really difficult one. I think 17 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 2: there will be a chunk of them that have got 18 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 2: used to being comfortable there, but I think the majority 19 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: really will be in a position that they want to 20 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: be in work and there's steps that they can take 21 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: to improve their chances. 22 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: When you break down the numbers for beneficiaries twenty nine 23 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: thousand over the quarter, that's ten thousand a months, two 24 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: and a half thousand a week. Is that do you 25 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: think as bad as it's going to be or not. 26 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 2: Well, it's it's probably going to continue until the end 27 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 2: of the year or January, which is when Treasury expected 28 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: the peak. So yes, it's concerning anyone who's lost a 29 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: job for them and their family. It is distressing, but 30 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: unfortunately this is the kind of correction that was always 31 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 2: going to happen. But I'm really I'm really confident that 32 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,960 Speaker 2: we can get on top of this, and we've set 33 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: unambitious target to reduce the number of people on jobs 34 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 2: seek benefit by fifty thousand within the six year period. 35 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: So where it work on it, Eggrey Day, I see. 36 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: The interesting thing about it is you've come along at 37 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: the wrong time, isn't it. I mean a lot of 38 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: this economically is not your fault. You've inherited it. So 39 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 1: at one point you're cracking down, but at the same 40 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: time you're laying them off. 41 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: Yes, and that is that is challenging. But for you 42 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 2: taxpayers who want to see the cost of living coming down, 43 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: they understand that the level of governments ending that was 44 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: being made under the previous government wasn't sustainable. So what 45 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 2: we do have to do is make sure that government 46 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 2: spending is going to the front line and we are 47 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: making savings where we can. And of course in the 48 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: private sector there are businesses everywhere. Unfortunately, some are not 49 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 2: going to get through the gap. There are businesses that 50 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 2: are having to lay off staff as well as closing altogether. 51 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: That's why rebuilding the economy is job number one and 52 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 2: getting on top of the cost of living, because that 53 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: gives businesses the confidence to hold their staff or in 54 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 2: fact grow their staff. We haven't turned the corner yet, 55 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 2: but the lighter at the end of the tunnel. You know, 56 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 2: we've seen the cost of living with inflation coming down, 57 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 2: we've seen food prices coming down. We've got a significant 58 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: infrastructure program ahead of us. So there's some definite positives. 59 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: We're on track, but they're still a bit of discomfort 60 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 2: to go through in the next few months. 61 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: These sanctions ten thousand in the quarter, six thousand, not 62 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: attending appointments. What's the matter with people? 63 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: Well, that's unfortunately they've got use to a period of 64 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 2: time under labor where sanctions were used sparingly. 65 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: But you warn them, you've warned them, and I mean 66 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: if you didn't ask them to climb a mountain. You 67 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 1: ask them to attend an appointment. 68 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: Yes, and that is disappointing, but it also tells us 69 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: that people who've been on the job seeker benefit have 70 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: got use to being left alone to their own devices. 71 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 2: That's not what we're doing. We have an active system. 72 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 2: They have requirements, they need to show up to appointments, 73 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 2: they need to go into MSD. Support is available to them. 74 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 2: But job secers need to know that there are steps 75 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,960 Speaker 2: they have to take and responsibilities they have to help themselves. 76 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: Yes, indeed, all right, appreciate you have a good weekend. 77 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: Louise Upsteins six thy sixty nine people failing to prepare 78 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: for work thirty three hundred and sixty So six thousand 79 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: didn't turn up failing to prepare for work thirty three 80 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: hundred and seventeen hundred and ninety seven. As I told 81 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: you earlier, graduated sanctions not only got sanctioned once, but 82 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: got sanctioned again. 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