Jobseeker Work Ready benefit numbers increase by 12% in a year
The Government says the benefit numbers have long been forecast to get worse before they get better – and there were “positive signs” its approach to social welfare was working.
But Labour says New Zealand families are continuing to suffer – and the Government is making the wrong decisions and mismanaging the economy.
There are two categories of Jobseeker benefits – “work ready” for those who can work now – and “health condition or disability” for those who can’t work right now for health reasons.
New data from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) shows that between September 2023 and September 2024, the number of people receiving the weekly Jobseeker Work Ready payment increased by around 12,300 people or 11.8%.
People receiving the “health condition or disability” payment increased by 11,000 people or 14.3% compared with September 2023.
However, more recent month-on-month data shows the tide is starting to turn, at least for Jobseeker Work Ready numbers, which decreased by about 300 people or 0.2% in September 2024 from the previous month. This was the first decrease since April 2024.
The number of people receiving the health condition or disability payment increased by about 2000 people or 2.3% in September compared with the previous month.
Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston described rising unemployment as a “lingering consequence” of years of high inflation, high government spending, and periods of economic recession.
“Jobseeker numbers have long been forecast to get worse before they get better, and we knew this when we set our target to reduce the number of people on Jobseeker Support by 50,000 over six years,” Upston said.
“We’re already seeing positive signs that this Government’s more proactive approach to supporting job seekers is working, with the latest monthly stats showing more than 2000 people cancelling their Jobseeker Benefit because they found work between July and September compared to the same period last year.”
The coalition Government has been focused on Jobseeker beneficiary numbers and has a goal for 50,000 fewer recipients in the next six years.
The Government has ramped up its threat of sanctions for Jobseeker beneficiaries not fulfilling their work obligations by introducing new requirements (such as attending a seminar within a fortnight of starting the payment) and a new beneficiary traffic light system.
At the time, advocate Brooke Pao Stanley, who runs Auckland Action Against Poverty, said such moves to increase sanctions would not help people get into work and would instead cause further stress to vulnerable people already living in stressful situations.
Labour’s social development spokeswoman, Carmel Sepuloni, said the Government’s actions were “taking us backwards”.
“It’s a tough time for New Zealanders. They have made the deliberate decision to lay off thousands of public servants and have cut government investment in infrastructure, like for Dunedin Hospital and school builds.
“Beneficiary numbers are skyrocketing even past Treasury’s predictions. Ministers have made the wrong choices and are mismanaging the economy at the expense of New Zealand families who are suffering from growing unemployment.”
Overall figures for main benefits – which include Jobseeker benefits as well as other payments like Sole Parent Support and the Supported Living Payment – increased by about 2500 (0.6%) month-on-month and by 29,100 (8%) year-on-year.
===========================================
www.nzherald.co.nz...
==========================================
Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️💥❔
What has a head but no brain?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
-
83.3% Same!
-
16.7% Would have liked to try something different
7 tips for buying your Christmas ham
It’s the centerpiece of the Christmas table, so when you’re peering into the supermarket chiller or ordering from the butcher, choosing the perfect ham can feel like a daunting task.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing one to bring home with you.
1. What type of ham to buy
You’ve got some decisions to make when it comes to the type of Christmas ham you’re going to buy.
Cooked on the bone (COB) ham is the traditional Christmas ham. If you’re buying a half ham, you’ll have the choice of the shank or fillet end. The shank is the part with the bone sticking out that gives the ham that traditional look. The fillet end is the round part that gives more meat. If you’re deciding whether to get a whole ham or half, consider how quickly you’ll be able to eat it all. You only have about a week to eat an opened ham before it will go off, so it can be a good idea to get two halves. That way you can eat one half during the week of Christmas and save the other for January.
Champagne ham has had the bone removed and only has the hock left on, so it’s easier to carve.
Pressed ham – also known as continental ham – has had the bones removed and has been pressed, so it’s also easy to carve.
2. Check the pork percentage
The label on a packaged ham will say what percentage is actually meat. Hams are injected with brine, to keep them moist, and additives. The brine injection level for manufactured hams is usually between 10% and 35% of the ham's weight. A manufacturer that wants to produce a cheap ham will add more water to bump up the weight.
3. Know how to tell if it’s New Zealand pork
By far, most of the hams bought in New Zealand this Christmas will be from pigs reared overseas. New Zealand imports pork from about 25 countries. It’s frustrating for New Zealand pig farmers because this ham can come from farms that don’t have to meet the same animal welfare standards as we have in this country. As a result, overseas meat is often cheaper.
If buying New Zealand pork is important to you, look for:
words on the packaging like ‘New Zealand pork’ or ‘born and raised in New Zealand’
4. Have a good look at the ham
If you’re going to be glazing your ham, look for one that is covered in a finger-thick layer of fat. This will give you the thickness you need to make good score lines.
New Zealand Pork’s website also advises looking for a ham that has a meaty texture rather than one that looks wet or rubbery. It says the ham’s skin should be smooth with even colouring. “If the knuckle is sunken, it may be overcooked. If the rind is buckled or uneven, it may be a sign of dryness.”
5. Ask a lot of questions
If you’re ordering your pork from a butcher, you probably won’t be able to compare hams like you would at the supermarket. So, make sure you ask lots of questions, now that you know what you’re looking for.
You could ask:
Is the ham made from New Zealand born and farmed pork?
What will be its injection percentage?
What flavours will it have?
You could even ask if there’s a glaze the butcher thinks would work particularly well with those flavours.
6. Know what size you’ll need
If the ham is the only meat on your Christmas menu, New Zealand Pork advises allowing 1kg of ham for five people. Or if you’ve got other meat options, 1kg will feed about six to eight people.
7. Know the best hams in New Zealand
The best hams of the year were awarded at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards earlier in the year so you can check out which ones got medals. Some of them are only available in the city the butcher is based, but a Farmland boneless ham available nationwide won a gold award and Woolworths bone-in and boneless hams picked up bronze.
====================================================
Loading…
