Ten extra field workers

Press, 22 June 1984, Page 1

Ten extra field workers

PA Wellington Ten extra field workers will be appointed to act as intermediaries between the unemployed and Government departments, said the Minister of Labour, Mr Bolger, yesterday. The field workers are in the Group Employment Liaison Scheme (G.E.L.S.).

The decision to increase the number of workers to 25 had been made during Budget preparations and would

have ordinarily been announced at the time of the Budget, said Mr Bolger. “It is, however, important that the effective work being done by the existing G.E.L.S. officers is enhanced by the early appointment of additional workers to parts of the country which are not yet serviced or not adequately serviced,” he said. Additional workers would be appointed in Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch and a field worker would be

established in Gisborne.

Present plans are for three others in the southern half of the North Island and the other three in the South Island.

Mr Bolger said the field workers help the unemployed identify the service or scheme which best met their needs and helped them apply for the appropriate assistance.

Labour’s spokesman on employment, Mr Peter Neilson, said the Government’s

decision was a belated attempt to achieve the number envisaged by the Comber Committee on Gangs almost three years ago.

“Back in 1981, again in election year, the Government showed enthusiasm for helping gang members find employment,” Mr Neilson said.

“It takes the onset of an election to prompt the Government to meet a threeyear target.”