Smart thinking key to keep Kiwis working: Greens

News today of a big increase in numbers on the unemployment benefit is a wake up call that National must act quickly to implement real solutions to the current crisis.

Today’s Household Labour Force Survey figures show jobless numbers rose 10.8 percent, to reach 105,000 in the latest quarter, the highest level since the September 2002 quarter.

Green Party Employment Spokesperson Sue Bradford said the rise shows again the urgent need for Government action to keep Kiwis working.

Ms Bradford is calling on John Key to include people with substantial experience of smart solutions – job creation in socially and environmentally useful work – in the upcoming Jobs Summit.

“The Green Party calls on the Government to make the Jobs Summit as inclusive and productive as possible. We must involve people who understand how to create green jobs to move us towards a more sustainable economy.

“We need to start building a framework for direct job creation through Government, local Government, the community sector, and hapu and iwi to get people into jobs that really need doing in areas like housing, public transport, environmental restoration, and local economic development.”

It is also vital that New Zealand workers affected by the economic recession are treated with respect and understanding.

“The loss of jobs this time around is likely to be worse than what happened in the 1980s and 1990s,” Ms Bradford said.

“It is critical the Government takes a positive approach to the unemployed, rather than mounting the kind of massive assault on their dignity and lives that has happened under both Labour and National in the past.

“Instead of joining in a chorus of abuse labelling unemployed people as lazy bludgers, the Green Party calls on all politicians, media commentators and the public to recognise that unemployed people are, in fact, the byproducts of a failed economic system.”

Today’s statistics also show New Zealanders are working more hours, mostly in part-time jobs. Ms Bradford said Kiwis are hard-working, but are going to need more help in the difficult times ahead.

“We call on the Summit’s organisers to recognise that representatives of unemployed people and beneficiaries themselves should be at the table on February 27, not just those of the elite.”