As a special feature to this issue The Jobs Letter looks at the Budget figures ... and just what the government will be counting when it comes to assessing the WINZ performance on employment.

At last week's Social Services Select Committee, politicians expressed concern that the review seemed to be a "rush-job" whose outcome was already pre-determined.

Green Party leader Rod Donald says that WINZ Chief Executive Christine Rankin's presentation to the Select Committee confirmed his fears "that she had made up her mind to get rid of the CEG from her first day in the job.."

Donald: "Many CEG staff have had very little time to respond to the review document, only a small number of community groups were consulted and other government agencies haven't been impressed with the process or proposed outcome. This is a deliberate move to destroy CEG's independent identity and therefore its effectiveness ..."

"I have grave doubts about the process taking place. WINZ is undergoing massive change and finding it difficult to manage. The disaster with student allowances this year is evidence that WINZ is not coping. Given that staff are very dissatisfied and that there is widespread concern in the community, I believe consultation on the future of CEG should be reopened ..."

Maharey: "CEG has achieved positive outcomes and is widely supported by communities. It is the only organisation that offers assistance for "bottom-up" programmes to develop the economy and create real jobs. Any change will hit Maori, Pacific Island and rural communities especially hard.."

Rankin: "We can assure you that any changes will not diminish WINZ's commitment to CE work. The review will not change the role of the field worker. It will not change the CE operating style. It will not change funding availability or funding arrangements... We value the diversity of approach that CE field workers bring to the organisation. We want WINZ to grow and extend its capability to manage different ways of delivering services to individuals and communities ..."

Source _ Press release from Rod Donald 19 May 1999 "CEG Review a farces"; Steve Maharey 18 May 1999 "Mayors asked to join fight to save CEG" and 19 May 1999 "WINZ asked to re-open consultation with CEG"; Christine Rankin "Review of Community Employment _ Management and Support Functions to Social Services Select Committee 19 May 1999.

While the Chetwin report does not comment directly on the current review ... it reinforced what the DOL considers to be the value of CEG's special approach to community economic development, and the value of a stand-alone organisation.

Chetwin: "The success of CEG has been possible because it has remained on the margins, and separate from mainstream delivery priorities. It ensured that those communities and groups who display strong symptoms of alienation have an effective voice in Wellington, and are practically assisted to take the first, and often most difficult, positive steps towards economic and social reintegration ...

"A key element of its contribution and robustness has been the independent identity of CEG (while remaining within larger Departments of State). This has been particularly demonstrated through the existence of a strong, separately identifiable CEG voice in Wellington, which has been achieved through the maintenance of a direct link between field workers and a separate CEG management structure reporting directly to a Chief Executive in Wellington.

"CEG's work is based on a community development approach that requires the growth of trust over a reasonable period of time and the careful development of community and national networks. It is these relationships which ensure the added value of the direct link to Central Government.

"This presence has added to the mix of contributions to policy development in the employment area and ensured that vital perspectives have been available for government consideration. This has allowed communities not only to feel as if they have been heard but also to have their concerns represented, and had also allowed central government the opportunity to respond. Both have been better informed through the CEG process of engagement..."

Source Review of Community Employment Group, report by Secretary of Labour 17 May 1999 Social services Select Committee.

Brenton Tukapua of WINZ has been seconded to co-ordinate the project for the next few months. He says that the small enterprises, who want to respond to the "one more worker" message, don't always know about the help that's available in wage subsidies, work experience, Job Plus and work-based training. WINZ can now offer 12 months of subsidies.

Source _ Evening Post Kapiti section 6 May 1999 "Local brains behind unique jobs project" by Veronica Harrod

Localities in the Christchurch Central electorate which have high levels of deprivation are: Waltham, South Riccarton, Linwood and Phillipstown.

( Electorate statistics compiled by Judy Reinken, and based on 1996 Census).

Source _ Judy Reinken, statistics based on 1996 Census of Population and Dwellings

A spokesperson for Tony Ryall, the minister responsible for Housing NZ, says that, over the past four years, accommodation supplements have increased from $491m to $860m/yr . Ryall's office also says that putting state housing rentals at market rates has given low income people a wider choice of accommodationpreviously low income people were only offered state houses.

However, social policy researcher Charles Waldegrave questions just who is benefiting from the state housing. Waldegrave reports that beneficiaries living in cities pay, on average, 40% of their income on rent.

Statistics NZ reports that the average NZ family now pays 31% of their income on accommodation, up from 18.5% in 1987.

Source New Zealand Herald 15 May 1999 "Rents for poor soar 106 percent" by Nick Perry

Maharey: "I cannot believe that all 503 teacher aide jobs would not exist if it were not for the community wage scheme. Schools have always used voluntary and work scheme staff to help in their schools. Many have provided valuable service to schools over the years. The fundamental difference has been the voluntary nature of that work. The community wage scheme is not voluntary and there is plenty of concern that cash-strapped schools may use the workers to replace their paid workforce..."

Source _ press release from Steve Maharey 19 May 1999 "Community wage workers rife in schools"

The manager of the Hamilton Volunteer Centre, Pamela Townsend, says WINZ had instructed one of her volunteer staff members to front up for community wage work. Townsend: "He was doing something vital here. I told him to ring back and say he was needed here ..." Townsend says she would have had plenty of community work for the unemployed accountant: "If I had an accountant who walked in here to volunteer, I've got a ton of jobs I could give him rather than cutting gorse. Volunteering is an opportunity to use their current skills."

The Hamilton Volunteer Centre does not support the Community Wage scheme because it believes that community work positions should be only for people who turn up of their own free will.

Source _ New Zealand Herald 18 May 1999 "Gorse déjà vu for jobless man" by Melissa Moxon

The first issue was produced in September 1994, just as the government's Employment Taskforce was about to announce its first reports. It's been a fascinating and challenging five years researching and reporting on what continues to be "New Zealand's greatest challenge".

To all our subscribers, and to those who have sent cards, letters and phone-calls of continuing support: Thanks.