MAHAREY CRITICISM OF WINZ TV ADS FARCICAL

  • Peter McCardle
Associate Minister of Work and Income

Labour spent millions on advertising - McCardle

"TV ads aimed at attracting vacancies from employers have been run by the Employment Service for years, and Labour began the use of them in the 1980s," Associate Work and Income Minister Peter McCardle said today.

"It is farcical of Steve Maharey to claim to be outraged about WINZ's TV ads when Labour used exactly the same approach.

"Under Labour, the NZ Employment Service spent $1.4 million dollars on advertising its services in 1989 alone.

"The NZES began using television to grab the attention of employers and tell them about its jobseekers. The approach worked, just as WINZ's current campaign is succeeding in reaching its target market.

"Research showed the need for higher awareness among employers about the jobseekers that WINZ can provide. And they are getting the message. As a result of the ads the number of calls to WINZ from employers with vacancies has doubled. "The campaign is also successfully communicating another key message: that large numbers of jobseekers registered with WINZ are work-ready and skilled.

"The ad campaign is succeeding, and that is why it will continue," Mr McCardle concluded.