November 15, 2012
Māori jobless numbers beyond bouncy
Labour's Māori affairs spokesperson Parekura Horomia says the way the Government trivialises jobless numbers makes it hard to address runaway Māori unemployment.
In parliament this week Social Development Minister Paula Bennett responded to bad jobless data by saying it was "bouncy, like me!"
Mr Horomia says last week's Household Labour Force Survey shows unemployment at a 13-year high at 7.3 percent, with Māori unemployment more than double that.
"In places like Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Heretaunga, there up to 50-60 percent. Like in the Tairawhiti nearly 40 percent of all rangatahi up to the age of 24, are unemployed or not in anything”. He says.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd