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Unemployment benefit numbers in Wairarapa continue to plummet with latest figures showing a huge 42 percent drop in the year to June, Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer announced today.
Ms Beyer welcomed the new figures as great news for the local economy, and for Wairarapa people.
"We're seeing definite results from our Labour-led government's focus on helping people off benefits and into work. Over the past five years Wairarapa had a massive 70 percent drop in the number of people on the unemployment benefit," Ms Beyer said.
The number of all working aged people on a benefit also fell - down 17 percent from June 2000 to June 2005.
Nationally, the number of working-aged New Zealanders on benefits dropped in every region over the past year as unemployment benefit numbers reached a 19 year low. DPB numbers also fell in all regions as the number of sole parents on the DPB reached an 11 year low and the rate of growth in Sickness and Invalid's beneficiaries fell by over 50 percent in the year to June 30.
Also released this week was the Work and Income regional plan.
"If we're going to keep our local economy growing strongly, we have to ensure people are getting into jobs that will really last, and I'm glad Work and Income has a solid plan to help us achieve this," Ms Beyer said.
Highlights from the quarterly figures include:
- Unemployment benefits numbers have fallen by 66 percent since 1999 - 98,500 fewer people are on this benefit than in1999. Unemployment fell by 26 percent in the last year.
- Overall numbers of working-aged Kiwis on benefits is at a 17 year low - a 25 percent decrease since 1999.
- DPB numbers have reached a 12-year low of 97,903
- The growth rate for Sickness Benefit numbers has fallen from 11 percent to 3 percent in the year to June 30
Social Development Minister Steve Maharey said that between Budget 2003 and Budget 2005, the fall in benefit numbers had reduced forecast benefit expenditure by $3.3 billion.
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