Opposition fells for make-jobs schemes

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 8

Opposition fells for make-jobs schemes

By

PETER LUKE,

political reporter ; Opposition calls for jobcreation schemes |1 have been renewed on, the eve of release of the February unemployment totals, j Registered unemployment totalled 101;398 (excluding ; vacation workers), in January and the Minister of (Employment, Mr Goff; said then that i no improvement could be expected;in six months. ; } i p! An attempt to introduce a private member’s! bill to bring back job-creation programmes failed yesterday, [when Parliament took urgency. I ! ‘ National’s spokesman on employment, Mr Winston! Peters, said the bill’s bottom, line was that jobs >vouid be made available, but ! those who ; did not want to work I would not

get taxpayer-funded benefits. |i : I ' i ! Mr Peters denied he was saying “no work, no dole.”, I i “I am saying work for everybody who wants it.” The, Opposition spokesman on labour, Mr( Bill Birch, said the Government ■ position was | that those ! who turned ! down work should not get the dole. ■ The difference was that the Opposition bill ( would have given the (unemployed the chance to work. ; Mr Peters said (unemployment had readied a critical level when it broke the “four-minute mile” of 100,000 jobless. “The Parliament [cjf this country is required to make! a response.” I The Opposition! was totally opposed to sub-

sidised nori-employment in the form of the dole, he said. [ The bill vvould not do: away with Access train-' ing, but would provide jobs for trainees to graduate to. ( Asked whether the jobs created would simply be' menial work,. Mr Peters said, “I do hot regard any job as menial.” Coming aftei- unemployment emerged ias a majorissue at the Labour Party’s first! regional conference, the .bill would have put > pressure on backbench members of Parliament for support. "If they i are embarrassed, that! is too bad,’’ said Mr Peters. ■(■ The bill ( would also have set, up la- working party intoj the causes and effects of j unemployment. j i | .[!. ',