Responding to the Otago Daily Times two-part investigation into who creates jobs and how they are created, Mr Woodhouse, from Dunedin, said the Government's role was to ensure that policies were in place to give businesses confidence to grow and employ staff.
"The Government also works with businesses to ensure there are sufficient numbers of appropriately trained staff available through education and training policies and immigration policy."
Mr Woodhouse outlined some of the measures taken by the Government to help employers increase their staff numbers. They included the 90-day trial law, the minimum training wage and business tax incentives.
"We've announced the $55 million youth employment package that will see 7000 young people receive subsidised job placements, which come with a vitally important training and qualifications component."
Barriers to business had been reduced through lower taxes, lower interest rates and removing unnecessary red tape, he said.
The Government was investing more money than ever in tertiary education places - nearly $300 million more in 2012 than in 2008. That represented 13,000 more tertiary places across all sectors.
"We're also concerned about the value taxpayers have been getting for their investment industry training.
"Some ITOs were claiming taxpayer money for people who weren't completing or even undergoing training. And in some cases, they were dead. We've fixed that."
Science and innovation funding had been given a boost despite challenging conditions, Mr Woodhouse said.
The Government had removed the "completely ineffective" R&D tax credit and boosted the performance-based research fund (PBRF), Marsden and Health Research Council funding as part of a $321 million commitment.
New Zealand also led the global agricultural alliance which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and boost trade competitiveness.
The need to rebuild after the Canterbury earthquakes would stimulate a significant employment demand and Budget 2011 provided for up to $42 million for trades training for the Canterbury region, he said.
Support had been provided for young people through the recession with Job Ops and Community Max, which had kept 15,000 young people engaged and close to the job market.
While the challenge was far from over, the number of 18 to 24-year-olds receiving the unemployment benefit had reduced from 23,000 to 16,500 in the past 18 months, Mr Woodhouse said.
