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Maori Party clashes with Govt over unemployment

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Fri, 10 Feb 2012 3:55p.m.

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia (file pic)

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia (file pic)

The Maori Party's relationship with the Government has had a rocky start this year and now unemployment is the latest issue to test it.

Co-leaders Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia have clashed with ministers over asset sales and the minimum wage.

Now they have problems with unemployment figures which the Government says show the economy is heading in the right direction.

The unemployment rate fell from 6.6 percent to 6.3 percent in the last quarter of last year, a bigger improvement than forecast.

But Mrs Turia says it has not helped Maori.

"The Maori unemployment rate flat-lined at 13.4 percent in the year to December - that's a massive seven percentage point difference," she said on Friday.

"And the jobless rate for 15 to 19-year-olds is 24.2 percent, it's simply disgraceful."

Dr Sharples says the party wants to see a lot more of its ideas to create work taken up by the Government.

"One thing's for sure - governments can't continue to fail our young people and fail Maori if we want to see an upturn in all our fortunes."

NZN

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Comments

13 Feb 2012 10:31a.m.

cherie wrote:

But guys she is right. If we want all our fortunes to turn around the issue of Maori unemplyment has to be addressed.
When people are employed they have purpose. They tend not to go down the crime path.
This in the long run will save NZ millions and make for a more harmonious country instead of all the fighting.
People slag of Nats and the Maori party for giving out to much and those same people now say the govt is wrong Not giving it out.
Make up your minds.
It is a problem for everyone in this country to have one race so high in stats in all the areas you dont want to be high in.
Good on you Tariana

11 Feb 2012 08:52p.m.

jacob wrote:

Is it failure of some? and luck for others?I mean how come there is only a couple of the Maori party left,after the last elections,yes and two who are after all they can get,who are well off from the past 3 years.Then they say that their people and their children need assistance,Well I would say to those two dig into their own pockets,as the tax payers pockets are becoming very empty.

11 Feb 2012 02:00p.m.

aron wrote:

Maori have to want to work first. I know of an asian family who moved here last year the husband works on a diary farm and the wife works at a freezing works and also does overtime on nightshift and also goes relief milking during the day. But we all know National have done nothing to help unemployment because a certain rate of unemployment is good for the capalist system as it keeps wages down with high demand for slave labour low paid jobs eg our great 50c pay rise for minimum wage.

10 Feb 2012 10:29p.m.

rihat wrote:

Unemployment has not fallen becaause lots of them have gone to Australia as there is no future for them in this country

10 Feb 2012 04:48p.m.

johnmillan wrote:

Yes the government is saying the unemployment is coming down<what a joke,there are more small business closing down,also larger ones in Christchurch.and more and more are leaving for that brighter future overseas