Briefly in the news this morning in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate:
* The Lead: Facing criticism over cancelling benefits for 4,300 jobless youth and forcing them to go home and be supported by their parents, PM Christopher Luxon said last night there were plenty of jobs in regional areas and these 18-19 year olds should move to find work. Luxon said: “If you want a job, you go where the jobs are. I encourage anyone to do what it takes to get a job.”
* The Sidebar: Opposition Leader Chris Hipkins responded: “New Zealanders are hearing that signal and they are moving out of the country - 200 a day.”
* The Scoop of the Day is from Jess Roden for 1News on cancer diagnosis and treatment delays in the South Island.
* The Investigation of the Day is from Nicholas Jones for Stuff on how the diabetes crisis means a record number of patients are losing toes and feet.
* The Deep-Dive of the Day is from Adam Burns for RNZ, documenting the awful removal of homeless campers from the carpark of a church in Christchurch.
* The Op-Ed of the Day is the fresh letter to the PM from a group of economists calling for a reversal of the Government’s tight fiscal policies.
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‘The world doesn’t owe you a living. Move to to find a job.’
PM Christopher Luxon was last night forced to defend the Government’s moves to take the jobless benefit off 4,300 unemployed 18-19 year olds and make them stay or return home to be supported by parents on less than $65,529 per annum.
All for the sake of $39 million a year in savings from not paying the jobless benefit to an estimated 4,300 unemployed 18 and 19 year olds.
He walked right into the obvious trap, or fundamental flaw in the policy, depending on your point of view.
He was asked in last night’s post-Cabinet news conference if he would encourage people to move away from towns like Kawerau, where there were 708 Jobseeker recipients in June but just three current vacancies listed on Trade Me, as The Post-$’s Henry Cooke reported.
“I’m not happy to consign young people to a life of welfare. We care about them. We want them to be successful and I make no apologies about that.
“If you want a job, you go where the jobs are I encourage anyone to do what it takes to get a job.” PM Christopher Luxon
Luxon pointed to areas jobseekers could go, including Christchurch, Dargaville, and the Hawke’s Bay. The Kaipara District, which includes Dargaville, had 1404 Jobseeker receipients in June but just 16 vacancies listed on Trade Me in early October, as Henry pointed out.
But Luxon persisted.
“Go talk to folks in our horticulture industry. There are jobs across the country.” PM Christopher Luxon
On Sunday, Luxon had also given some advice to the 15,045 teenagers on the jobseeker benefit.
“The world doesn’t owe you a living and nor, except in limited circumstances, do taxpayers.” Luxon.
‘That dog don’t hunt real good.’
He went further last Friday, while speaking to business leaders from Rotorua’s Chamber of Commerce at the Pullman Hotel, testing a few lines before the announcement.
Unemployment rates were not high compared to those in the past, he said, as reported by The Rotorua Post’s Annabel Reid. He said, for example, the jobless rate reached more than 10% in the 1990s when he left university. Yet a record number were on the jobseeker benefit, and “that dog don’t hunt real good”.
He was reported as saying people who went on a main benefit before 25 typically stayed on it for 20–22 years, costing the country roughly $20,000 a year each. It would be better to “pull that money forward”, and invest in keeping young people in school by showing them “we care about you, we love you, we want you to do better than consign yourself to a life of welfare”.
For the 18- and 19-year-olds already out of school, he said: “I’m sorry, we’re not paying your benefit … That’s your parents’ responsibility … You’ve got to get off the couch, stop playing PlayStation and go find a job.” Luxon on Friday in Rotorua.
‘They’re leaving alright. To Australia.’
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said later last night that young people were taking up Luxon’s advice of moving, but to Australia.
“The Prime Minister is saying people need to move in order to get jobs. New Zealanders are hearing that signal and they are moving out of the country - 200 a day.
“There are 36,000 fewer jobs today than there were when Christopher Luxon became Prime Minister. Labour leader Chris Hipkins
Ikea received more than 25,000 applicants for 500 positions at its new Auckland mega-store, which is due to open on December 4, a ratio of 50 to one. (RNZ)
Chart of the day: 30 jobless per vacancy in Rotorua
My Picks n’ Mixes of links elsewhere
Top Pick n’ Mix Six
* The Lead: RNZ: Luxon defends cuts to benefits for youth
* Sidebar: Giles Dexter & Kim Baker Wilson for RNZ: Jobseeker changes: ‘Punished for economic crisis they didn’t create’
* Scoop of the day: Jess Roden for 1News: Canterbury oncologists on how delays impact lives of patients.
* Investigation of the day: Nicholas Jones for Stuff: Kiwis are losing limbs in record numbers - and most never see it coming
* Deep-dive of the day: Adam Burns for RNZ: ‘It’s heartbreaking’: Homeless people forced to leave church grounds
* Op-Ed of the day: Craig Renney , Ganesh R Ahirao & 18 others: Our current economic approach is causing real harm. We need to change track
Full paying subscribers can see the full list of Picks n’ Mixes in my Early Bird post on Substack this morning.
Cartoon of the Day: ‘Unless you’re a landlord…’
Timeline-cleansing nature pic
Ka kite ano
Bernard
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