Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Social Services. I refer to reports today proving the Minister for Social Services fabricated details about New Zealand's welfare system to justify his cruel cuts to young jobseekers. Does the minister stand by his remarks that

In New Zealand everybody who is seeking to get welfare payments, the dole equivalent, has a one-month waiting period.

Or did he just make it up?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In reply to the honourable member's question, let me state the facts about New Zealand. In New Zealand, a claimant for the equivalent of unemployment benefits in Australia who goes to the Work and Income—the equivalent of Centrelink here—has to undertake certain activities, thereby having the effect of a waiting period in New Zealand.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, that is right. The reality is that encourages jobseekers in New Zealand to take a work-first approach rather than a welfare-first approach.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will desist, as will the member for McMahon. The member for Gorton is warned!

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The benefit of this system in New Zealand is borne out by the results. The effect in New Zealand is to triage applicants for welfare benefits. The reality is that four in 10 people who go along to claim a benefit do not go back to get the benefit; in fact they get a job in the meantime. Four in 10 people in New Zealand do not go back and get the benefit. That compares—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

The shadow minister can prattle on all she likes, but these are the facts. I suggest she goes to New Zealand—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition! There will be silence on my left. The member for Kingsford Smith!

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

An outcome of four in 10 people in New Zealand not actually getting welfare—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith will desist or leave. The choice is hers.

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

within a month compares favourably with the situation that we have inherited in Australia from the honourable member opposite, where 30 per cent of people—only 30 per cent—go off welfare after three months. I suggest, Madam Speaker, that, instead of asking these sorts of bizarre questions in here, the honourable member opposite gets out of Canberra, gets on a plane to New Zealand, finds out how their system works over there and—by the way, while she is over there—gets some advice from Labour as what not to do as a result of their election last weekend.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on both sides of the House.