Unemployment data released today confirms that Labour is wasting a golden opportunity to move people off welfare and into work, National's Social Development and Employment spokesperson Louise Upston says.

“Despite an extremely tight labour market, there are still 170,000 people on the Jobseeker benefit, 50,000 more than when Labour took office five years ago.

“With businesses crying out for workers, Jobseeker numbers should be at record lows, not remaining sky high.

“There has never been a better time for Labour to help New Zealanders find employment and break the cycle of benefit dependency yet there are significantly more Kiwis on the Jobseeker benefit and they are staying there longer.

“There are now 35,000 more New Zealanders on the Jobseeker benefit for a year or more than when Labour came into office.

“The Jobseeker benefit is designed to help New Zealanders into their next job, instead Labour has turned it into a dragnet to pull more New Zealanders into a life of welfare dependency.

“Employment is the only long-term pathway out of poverty and into a more prosperous life of independence and opportunity.

“Our welfare plan would break the cycle of dependency by powering community organisations to deliver individualised coaching for young Jobseekers and set clear obligations about the need to prepare themselves for work.

“A National Government will manage the economy better and deliver for all New Zealanders. We will set ourselves targets and hold ourselves accountable to achieving them.

“Unlike Labour, National has a plan and we will ensure a generation of New Zealanders do not end up welfare dependent.”