9. JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
How many people are expected to move off a sickness or invalids benefit because of the welfare changes announced on 26 October 2006?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I am advised that, when fully implemented, the reforms will assist between 3,000 and 6,000 sickness benefit and invalids benefit clients who would otherwise stay on benefits.
Is the Minister trying to tell the House that no formal studies have been done to show any tangible success of these reforms; if that is the case, how can he describe this as the biggest restructuring of welfare in 50 years, as he did? [ Interruption]
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
I can tell the member, and other members opposite, that the trials that were run leading to the roll-out of this policy have been extraordinarily successful, and have yielded at least one in five new clients being found to be work-ready.
Does the Minister stand by his comments on 27 October that 20 percent of the people with a doctor’s certificate that entitles them to an invalids benefit or a sickness benefit are able to move straight into work without going on to a benefit; if he does, why is he not changing the obviously flawed assessment criteria that show that one-fifth of the people who are being given a doctor’s certificate are not sick?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
I just made the statement that those people are work-ready, and, unlike that member, I am certainly not about to attack the medical profession.
Chester BorrowsCan the Minister see that if one in five of the people who have been approved for a sickness benefit or an invalids benefit are in fact fit for work, there is a major problem with the assessment system?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
All I will do is to repeat the comment I have just made twice—that access to those benefits is determined by medical need and is signed off by medical professionals.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
What is the most significant change that these reforms bring to sickness benefit and invalids benefit clients?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
These reforms are about what people can do, not about the benefit category they may be in. This means that more New Zealanders will be able to take advantage of the rewards offered by employment, while we ensure that those who cannot work receive appropriate financial and social support.
Paula BennettHas the Minister considered adopting a designated doctor scheme like the one National had, which resulted in a drop in sickness and invalids beneficiary numbers—or is he comfortable to abdicate responsibility, as he did when he said: “After all, it is doctors who sign people up for those benefits, not Work and Income front-line staff or politicians.”?
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE Link to this
I am certainly not planning to adopt many of the models that the National Party trialled, which led to unemployment in this country being at 160,000 in 1999. I say to the House that since the 9 long years of that party being in Government, the unemployment figure has dropped from 160,000 to 40,000.
When the Minister stated this week: “We have a zero tolerance policy about fraud,”, was he speaking about just the sickness benefit and the invalids benefit, or was he speaking about all benefits under the Ministry of Social Development?
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I do not believe that the Minister has actually addressed that question. Is he saying that he was speaking about the sickness benefit and the invalids benefit, or that he was speaking about all benefits? He just said “No.”, but to what—to which part of the question?
Madam SPEAKERThat reply answered the question; it seemed to me that it did address the question. I think the member could perhaps put the question clearly—that is one of the difficulties.