Almost 8000 applications, no job: Man still haunted by what he did 28 years ago

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

This story says that Robert Purchase spent about 22 years overseas after being released from prison in New Zealand, and that, while away, he worked in roles on cruise ships, in disability support and safety management. Stuff would like to clarify that, in 2003, Purchase received 25-year jail sentences in Florida for kidnap and for carjacking with a deadly weapon. He was released in 2023 and returned to New Zealand soon after. Some work referred to was between his time in prison in New Zealand and his imprisonment in the US. Other work referenced was carried out during his time in prison. He said his comments about not reoffending after being released from prison related specifically to his time in New Zealand. Stuff would like to clarify that other parties who provided comments about Purchase specifically, or in relation to the wider issue of former prisoners being given another chance, did so in the belief that Purchase had not reoffended anywhere.

Robert Purchase says he’s applied for almost 8000 jobs over the past two years.

He’s had five interviews, but no offers.

“I’m pretty much stuck on welfare,” he said.

The 48-year-old said he had industry experience and a range of qualifications. He had done almost any course he could that would support him to find work.

Robert Purchase said he had applied for almost 8000 jobs over the past two years but because of a historic criminal record hadn’t had a single offer.

He was active on LinkedIn, his CV was sharp and he was on almost every job application portal you could imagine. He’d also been visiting businesses in person.

“I'm loyal, honest, respectful, honourable …I'll go above and beyond … and I can communicate easily,” Purchase said.

But there was one thing holding him back.

Almost three decades ago, in 1997, aged 20, he was sent to prison for a string of crimes ranging from shoplifting to unlawfully carrying a weapon and assault.

Purchase said he had industry experience, a range of qualifications and a keen attitude.

At the time, Purchase said, he was “young, dumb, drunk and hanging out with the wrong people”.

He served his time and said he had not committed a crime since.

Purchase provided Stuff with a copy of his New Zealand criminal record dated till September 2024. It supported his claim that he had not been convicted of a crime in New Zealand since he was jailed in 1997.

Stuff made attempts to verify the document with the Ministry of Justice, but it said it was unable to comment on his convictions.

Purchase relied on a benefit while he continued his job search, but he said he was desperate to find work and get off it.

Purchase, who lives in Māngere Bridge, Auckland, contacted Stuff after the Government announced changes to the Jobseeker benefit eligibility for 18 and 19-year-olds.

He said he had met a number of young people on a course he attended recently and if it was hard for him to get a job, despite being skilled and certified, “there’s no way kids will”.

Purchase said he had turned his life around since leaving prison. He was committed to his church and volunteered there twice a week.

But he was “100% sure” it was his past stopping him from getting a job.

“The ones I have got interviews with have told me straight up that it’s the [criminal record].”

Purchase and his cat, Wade, at his Auckland home.

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Purchase said he had mostly applied for jobs driving trucks or forklifts, in construction, security, traffic management and some retail, but he was getting to the point where he would take anything.

“It’s been a struggle. It’s not exactly the easiest thing to be doing, but it’s necessary,” he said. “You’ve got to keep in the right mindset.”

He relied on a Work and Income benefit to pay his rent and phone bill, and said he visited a church-based charity in Onehunga once a month for food.

But he didn’t want to be on a benefit, he wanted to work.

“There's really no point in anyone being on a benefit if they can work. Get out there and go get the job.”

Purchase said he had received countless rejection letters during his job hunt.

Purchase was born in Canada, then raised in Whakatāne. He said he spent about 22 years overseas after he was released from prison, working in roles on cruise ships, in disability support and safety management, before he returned to Auckland.

He had no trouble getting work in other countries, but in New Zealand it was a different story.

Lawyer Jamie Martin, committee member of prison reform organisation Howard League, said he had seen a number of ex-prisoners struggle to access jobs or housing, even when they had been released many years ago.

“Despite having turned their lives around, they have these forever consequences on them,” he said.

As a result, some prisoners lacked the motivation to reintegrate, because they knew how difficult it was to rebuild a life.

“They’re still going to be disadvantaged and still going to be struggling. That makes it really hard for them to feel like it’s even worth trying,” he said.

The current laws didn’t make things any easier for them, Martin said.

The clean slate scheme essentially wiped a criminal record if someone went seven years without a conviction. But it was off the cards if that individual had done prison time.

Purchase said his benefit only covered his rent and phone bill. He visited a church-based charity once a month for food. (File photo)

Martin said the Howard League had lobbied for change. It wanted the law to consider a person’s age when they committed the crime, whether it was their first offence and whether they had re-offended.

“If they’ve turned things around, the fact that there’s no ability for the clean slate scheme to apply to them, that’s something we’d like to see changed.”

Purchase said he had fleetingly thought about returning to criminal activity to get money over the years. But he didn’t want to, all he wanted was to work.

Martin said that was a common sentiment among prisoners and former prisoners, who often lost faith in the idea that they could go back into society and rebuild a life.

“I can relate to why they would find that really discouraging, and why they think ‘well, maybe I’m better off inside’,” he said.

A spokesperson for Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said the minister was prohibited from commenting on Purchase’s specific case, but was receiving “advice on the [clean slate] Act more generally”.

But it wasn’t only the law that needed to shift, Martin said.

“New Zealand, as a country, we tend to love this idea of punishment, but everyone except one person in this country [the Christchurch terrorist] will eventually be released, and I think as a country we need to start thinking about what we want that release to look like.

“Do we want people to get out and just go back in? Or do we want them to actually be able to find work, find homes and rebuild their lives?”

Although Purchase said the search was starting to get him down, he showed no signs of giving up.

When he spoke to Stuff on Monday, he had already sent about 30 applications that morning. It was 11.30am.

“I know that God will get me a job sooner or later. It’s just a matter of keep on applying and keep on moving forward.”