Interesting that the Minister's press release about June benefit numbers is titled, "Benefit numbers rise slightly in June."
The June numbers are being compared to May.
I would have compared them by quarter - June to March. That's how the Ministry releases them to the public.
So I did.
Over the past six years, if the March and June quarters are compared there is a pattern. I've marked the ones that featured a rise.
2006
2007
2008 ^
2009 ^
2010 ^
2011
2012
So the positive pattern continues.
But 320,041 working-age people on a benefit is still very high at around one in eight dependent.
That's what the opposition should be highlighting - not a month to month rise. Let's see what Jacinda says. As usual she's slow to respond but I don't think she'll be able to resist a dig, given the title of the release.
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I'm convinced that the government is not at all serious about getting people off benefits (and I say that as a long-time National voter).
The recent so-called "reforms" will make not the slightest bit of difference.
Every time that Labour introduces yet another welfare bludge (WFF being the latest one), National just leave it there.
I think I'll vote for Act at the next election. At least they have the balls to put forward no-holds-barred, hairy-chested policies, and at least they have nothing to lose.
John Key must be our least-courageous PM since the days of Bill Rowling.
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