5000 more on the dole

The September benefit figures are out and since June more than 11,000 extra people are receiving benefits. Of the main benefits, 5000 more are on the dole, there's 2000 more sickness beneficiaries, 1000 fewer invalids beneficiaries and 2000 more on the DPB.

And Ruth Dyson is very quiet about it - she doesn't care, she`s only going to be the minister for the next few weeks.

What is interesting is that there is a higher proportion receiving the dole for less than a year, but a lower proportion of sickness beneficiaries on that benefit for less than a year. Perhaps those working at Work and Income can't transfer people from the unemployment benefit to the sickness benefit fast enough. So many are becoming unemployed there's no time.