Steve Maharey MP

Labour spokesperson on employment
http://www.labour.org.nz/

1. What are your employment policies? What employment initiatives will your government take?

Labour believes that full employment is possible. Our policies fall into the following categories::

— expanding the demand for labour though economic policies designed to create growth;

— making full employment a key aim of government policy;

— local economic development through a local economic assistance fund, public sector employment and a new activity in the community programme;

— maintaining employability through case management, investment in training, intermediate labour market, small business assistance, childcare, better incentives for beneficiaries seeking to take on paid employment, making use of the benefit to create jobs.

— a "futurework" programme designed to promote policies such as family friendly workplaces which will lift productivity while encouraging a better balance between family and work responsibilities.

2. What is your party view on the future of work and income?

To undo the changes created by merging Income Support, Employment Service and the Community Employment Group would be a huge and expensive task. Work and Income New Zealand will remain the main delivery agent for employment programmes and income support. However while Labour will work within the current structure we will reconfigure the organisation and ensure staff are able to specialise in addressing the needs of either job seekers or non-job-seekers.

3. What changes, if any, would you make to the new Winz department?

Labour will change the way Work and Income New Zealand operates to make it more transparent and accountable. This includes re-establishing a public service ethic within WINZ; having community input into policies and the way in which WINZ delivers services to communities; and setting clear expectations for the Department and being proactive in holding the chief executive accountable for meeting those goals.

4. What are your policies on the Community Wage?

Labour will scrap the current community wage. Labour believes it is much better to give unemployed people a range of options from which to choose rather than simply forcing them to accept any work which is temporarily available.

5. Will you make any changes or additions to the Winz employment subsidised work programmes?

Taskforce Green numbers have almost halved from 2,752 in December 1996 to 1,456 in June 1999, a 47% decline. Job Plus numbers are down from 7,915 to 6,668, a cut of 16%. Labour supports the use of subsidy schemes and sees them as a valuable tool in assisting people back into work. The most important innovation will be Labour's Community Enterprise Organisations (CEOs). CEOs are an example of third sector employment, will operate as small businesses and make use of the benefit to provide the basis of a wage for the people employed.

6. What are your policies and initiatives on education and training for the unemployed?

A skilled workforce is the key to a high wage, knowledge-based society. Our future prosperity as a country requires effective pathways for present and future workers to gain higher qualifications and increased skills. Labour will develop a comprehensive strategy for training and employment, linked to Labour's industry development policies to promote growth and jobs, and expand Skill New Zealand so it can lead the strategy to make New Zealand the most skilled nation in the world.

7. How will you encourage local government to be active in solving unemployment?

Labour will work with local government to encourage innovative local initiatives designed to build the capacity of communities. This includes work on the research and development of local responses to social issues; the identification and development of local social development clusters, and the social entrepreneurs needed to maintain this process; identified and specific initiatives aimed at encouraging local people to build the capacity of their community; and initiatives to increase opportunities for local democracy.

8. How will you encourage community groups working in this field?

Many of Labour's policies are designed to encourage greater local leadership on a range of issues. Our policies will help rebuild local economies and require government services to have a stronger local focus. We want people to get involved. Labour will assist the development of community services through Community Employment Opportunities (CEOs) programme. CEOs will be required to pay at least the minimum wage, but will receive the payment of the equivalent of the unemployment benefit for all unemployed people taken on. The work will have to be approved by a local community committee to ensure it fits within the guidelines.