Here are three observations.
There are more Cook Islanders on benefits in New Zealand than the Cook Island's entire working-age population
Cook Island's resident population doesn't fluctuate much.
According to the Cook Islands Statistics Office around 12,000 resident Cook Islanders were aged 15 and over.
Here in New Zealand, at October 2025, there are 14,469 Cook Islanders on a benefit.
I wonder how many Cook Islanders are on benefits in China?
Over the last thirty years benefit dependence due to ill health and disability has grown from one in five to one in two
In 1995 73,723 people received a sickness or invalid benefit - 21.8% of all beneficiaries. Today 49.4% receive the equivalent benefits.
Even when - or if - unemployment reduces, most of these people will remain dependent with an ever-increasing portion suffering from mental illness.
At 411,012 in October 2025, New Zealand has its highest absolute number of beneficiaries ever
In 1992, when unemployment peaked at over 10 percent, there were 340,715 people receiving a main benefit.
Then, according to MSD: "The number of clients receiving an income tested benefit at 31 December increased from 399,071 to 401,415 between 1998 and 1999 but has declined for the last four years."
The next peak was the GFC when the number reached 352,707.
Click to view
Here in New Zealand, at October 2025, there are 14,469 Cook Islanders on a benefit.
I wonder how many Cook Islanders are on benefits in China?
Over the last thirty years benefit dependence due to ill health and disability has grown from one in five to one in two
In 1995 73,723 people received a sickness or invalid benefit - 21.8% of all beneficiaries. Today 49.4% receive the equivalent benefits.
Even when - or if - unemployment reduces, most of these people will remain dependent with an ever-increasing portion suffering from mental illness.
At 411,012 in October 2025, New Zealand has its highest absolute number of beneficiaries ever
In 1992, when unemployment peaked at over 10 percent, there were 340,715 people receiving a main benefit.
Then, according to MSD: "The number of clients receiving an income tested benefit at 31 December increased from 399,071 to 401,415 between 1998 and 1999 but has declined for the last four years."
The next peak was the GFC when the number reached 352,707.
Click to view
What about the Covid crisis? Numbers peaked at 389,601 in January 2021 and then abated.
Now, at 411,012 in October 2025, New Zealand has the highest absolute number of beneficiaries ever.
And by Christmas, the predictable seasonal high will take us to another new record.
Lindsay Mitchell is a welfare commentator who blogs HERE - where this article was sourced
2 comments:
It is convenient that the culture of overeating supports through consequent benefits the complementary culture of minimal effort expenditure on work. Unlike maori, services should be able to deal effectively with PI as not sabotaged by the "'for maori by maori"" mantra. Incidentally, do trace Cook Is descendants identify as PI or are they join the maori bonanza?
Yes, Robert, when I lived there, Cook lslanders, born outside the country of CI heritage could claim citizenship, yet someone, say of English or New Zealand heritage, had a child, born on one of the islands in the Cook group, did not automatically get citizenship. So Cook Islanders born in Auckland New Zealand were returning to their “ancestral homeland” at the end of their working lives, bringing with them the spoils and bling in shipping containers to set themselves up for a comfortable retirement. Their cuzzies who never left were jealous as, when they realised what they had missed out on. No wonder they are selling out to the Chinese.
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