Jacinda Ardern

Wellington, June 4 NZPA - The Government is being accused of playing down the number of young unemployed people, which Labour describes as "a ticking timebomb".

Youth affairs spokeswoman Jacinda Ardern said today Social Development Minister Paula Bennett was using her ministry's preliminary results which showed about 7000 16 and 17-year-olds weren't in any sort of programme or training.

"That is just the tip of the iceberg. Research indicates that the number of young people outside of any work or study is actually 10 times that number," she said.

"The latest statistics obtained from Parliament's library point to 34,900 youths aged 15 to 19 who are either not in employment, education or training, with an additional 39,100 aged between 20 and 24 in the same boat -- bringing the total to 74,000."

Ms Ardern said New Zealand couldn't afford to have more than 70,000 young people "completely disengaged from education and without work...it is ticking timebomb."

She said the Government was downplaying the issue and its schemes like Job Ops and Community Max were a temporary fix which focused on young people who were in the system.

"But there is nothing for the tens of thousands of young who are falling through the gaps...the Government needs to treat this issue seriously, and fast."