Welfare and Social Security spending up again

Given all the self-congratulatory compliments Labour pays itself over having the second lowest unemployment rate in the OECD one begins to wonder when it will start to show.

Year to June 2006 spending has risen to $15.598 billion - a 6.2 percent rise on the previous year at $14.682 billion.

According to Treasury, Social security and welfare expenses increasing by $0.9 billion due to the annual indexation of welfare benefits and the first full year impact of the Working for Families Package.

I suppose we should be thankful it hasn't risen any higher. This is the highest figure ever.