5. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What measures is she taking to provide beneficiaries with an opportunity to gain better work skills and increase their prospects of obtaining full or part-time employment, gaining independence from the benefit?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
This Government is offering a range of support, such as on-the-job training, industry partnerships, job preparation, funding for the self-employed, enterprise allowances—more than I would probably be permitted time to mention in my answer. That assistance amounts to an investment of over $250 million.
Why did the Minister make cuts to the training incentive allowance when an evaluation of the scheme showed that clients who receive training incentive allowance - assisted training were significantly more likely to move into either full or part-time employment than those who do not, and were proven to achieve positive outcomes such as increased self-esteem and well-being?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
We simply have had to make tough decisions. We decided to look especially at areas funded in several different ways. So it has not been cut; some funding has been restricted to level 3 or under. Let me give members an example. Someone studying and on the domestic purposes benefit could get over $1,000 a week in Work and Income assistance. By the time we add up the domestic purposes benefit of around $272, an accommodation supplement of $225, tax credits of $200, childcare assistance of up to $181 for one child, and out-of-school care and recreation assistance of $72 a week, that person could potentially be getting well over $1,000 a week.
Does the Minister stand by her letter to Mr Greg Soar who wrote to her about cuts she has made to his training incentive allowance, and is she aware that she advised Mr Soar to seek a student loan or a scholarship, but because he is on an invalids benefit he is not entitled to the full benefits of a student loan and would get only a third of what he was previously getting through the training incentive allowance payment, and the scholarship she told him he may be entitled to, like the Step Up scholarships, she actually cut in her last budget?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
There are tough decisions being made. We did suggest to that gentleman, as we are suggesting to other people, that there are other ranges where he can get that level of assistance. Quite simply, there are other ways that people can get the sort of assistance they need so that they can go on to that tertiary study. It is about having an even playing field, and this decision is one of those we have made.
Todd McClayHas the Minister seen any reports or articles on how people may gain independence from welfare dependency?
Mr SPEAKERThere was an unacceptable level of interjection while Todd McClay was asking his question. It was most discourteous to the House. I ask Todd McClay to repeat his question, please.
Has the Minister seen any reports or articles on how people may gain independence from welfare dependency?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I find it pretty rich for the Opposition spokesperson to talk about getting independence from welfare when her party’s policy, which I heard recently, would do exactly the opposite and create hundreds of thousands of new beneficiaries. The same policy was described this morning by a media commentator as the “biggest blunder” Mr Goff has made since becoming the Labour leader.
What does the Minister say to training incentive allowance recipient Greg Soar, who said: “I feel damned let down by the unthinking Minister, who used the TIA herself to improve her life.”; and why is the Minister denying those people who are struggling on the domestic purposes benefit and invalids benefit the real opportunity to gain education and a real job, contrary to the advice her own department has given her?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
The Opposition leader has been sitting there yelling out: “You got this.”, and “You got this payment.” I think it should be quite clear that, quite frankly, it would be a pretty pathetic decision-making process we were going through if politicians started making decisions based on what happened with them—in my case 15 years ago, and in his case, I imagine, what, about 40 years ago? The new face of Labour!
I ask members to be a little more reasonable. I heard interjections that were totally unacceptable then. I ask members please to desist from that.
Darien FentonWhat does the Minister say to sole parent Natasha Fuller, who says her dreams of becoming an early childhood teacher have been squashed by the Government’s decision, and who feels that all the efforts she has put into training so far have been for nothing, because she cannot afford to further her studies without the assistance of the training incentive allowance?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
It is pretty hard for me to comment on individual circumstances. But let me give an example, perhaps, of a domestic purposes benefit recipient who has three children—two school-aged and one preschool. They could get up to $1,030 worth of assistance during term time each week—over $1,000 in assistance each week—to help them with those childcare costs, with some accommodation costs, and with everything else. There is the availability to get—
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am quite happy to answer questions, but I do not think that you should be brought into the debate with comments flying across like “What did you get?”. I am not sure what you got, actually, when you were studying, but I do not need to know.
I think that it is a timely reminder for members that every time they yell out “What did you do?”, they are bringing the Speaker into the debate, and that is totally outside the Standing Orders. So I ask members to take a bit of a breath and just be a little careful on those matters.
Carmel SepuloniDoes the Minister stand by her statement: “I was definitely living day to day and struggling financially and emotionally, and I worked out that the only way I was going to get out of that trap was to get into meaningful paid employment.”; if so, why in Budget 2009 has she stripped solo parents of their ability to apply for the training incentive allowance, which provided financial support towards transport, childcare, and/or fees associated with training, and directly helped many get into paid employment?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Yes, I do. I will back those women into work and meaningful employment every time.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
What does the Minister say to mother of three Jennifer Johnston, whose marriage broke up 2 years ago and who says that, despite whatever else she may receive, without the training incentive allowance she may be unable to continue her studies to become a nurse despite a significant nursing shortage and her A average grade?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I note that the member said “continue her studies to become a nurse”. Actually, the training incentive allowance will continue until 2011 for those who are currently receiving it. It will be grandparented through, so if she is receiving it now, she can continue to receive it.