9. RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What recent reports, if any, has she received on the Working for Families package?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I have received a press statement from the National Party finance spokesperson, Bill English, saying that the Working for Families package would remain unchanged if National became the Government, so that families would have “certainty about their incomes.”
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
Has the Minister received any other reports on the Working for Families package?
I have received a subsequent report from Mr English saying that National actually wanted to change Working for Families, but it could not do it “without taking money off them.” He continued: “punters are keen to keep it. … The last thing we want is to spend the whole election campaign with families of four on TV saying ‘Mr Key’s taking money off us’. You can’t do that. … So later on we’re gonna have to have a bit of a sort out. Yeah, we’re gonna do something, but we can’t do it now.” And he has just confirmed it in the House.
Russell Fairbrother Link to this
Has the Minister received any other recent reports on the Working for Families package?
I have seen transcripts from Television One’s Breakfast programme and the Agenda programme, where the National leader, Mr Key, also gave conflicting statements about the fate of Working for Families should National become the Government. So, far from National providing certainty for families, the signals from Mr Key and Mr English are that the fate of Working for Families would be extremely uncertain under a National-led Government.