Unemployed Asians need help, Labour says

Relevant offers

Politics

Global economy may hit Budget Fay group would meet Chinese undertakings Trevor Mallard: I'm no ticket scalper Govt says asset sales will cut debt Greens: Crafar approval politically motivated Banks named as new ACT leader China 'will see Crafar ruling as racist' Govt may sell smaller slice of SOEs BSA grilled over John Key radio show TVNZ show dumps Labour leader

Labour is highlighting the plight of jobless Asians as it continues to criticise the Government over the latest unemployment statistics.

Yesterday's Household Labour Force Survey showed unemployment running at 7.3 percent in the December quarter, up from 6.5 percent and higher than the Government had expected.

Labour's ethnic affairs spokesmen Raymond Huo and Rajen Prasad said today Asian unemployment was running at 9.2 percent, which meant 21,200 Asians without jobs.

They called on Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong to immediately advocate within government to help those people.

Mr Prasad said even before the latest "appalling" rise in unemployment, ethnic groups and migrants were experiencing significant discrimination.

"They are expected to have New Zealand experience, which is ludicrous," he said.

"Many are under-employed or are in jobs for which they are over-qualified."

Mr Huo said rising unemployment was hurting Asian families.

"The feeling in the Asian community is that Pansy Wong is failing to convey the concerns of ethnic communities to the Government," he said.

Youth unemployment is another area Labour has targeted, and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett today called on councils to use a $1 million fund to boost job opportunities.

Among those aged 15-24, unemployment was running at 18.4 percent in December, a 6.4 percent increase on the previous quarter.

"The Youth Development Partnership Fund provides a great opportunity for councils to work with young people to create local education, training and employment projects," Ms Bennett said.

"I strongly encourage local groups and councils to get involved and work together with the Government to provide opportunities for our young people."

Round six of the fund is open for applications until March 19.

Tertiary Education Union president Tom Ryan said the Government should remove the student numbers cap in universities, polytechnics and wananga.

"New Zealand's tertiary institutions, especially our polytechnics, can help young people get the skills they need to find jobs," he said.

"But they can't do it when the Government is preventing them taking on these young people as new students."

- NZPA