4. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does she stand by her reported comment “… we need to encourage a level of self-responsibility …”; if so, why?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I will give the context for that quote. The full quote is: “Looking after those people who need it most is important. We are only strong as a nation if we look after our most vulnerable. But we need to encourage a level of self responsibility, looking after yourself, but caring about others.” I stand by that comment.
Did she consult the Minister of Māori Affairs before announcing the axing of the Enterprising Communities scheme, which encourages a level of self- responsibility, and which provides many services to Māori; if so, what did he say?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Yes, we consulted fully on the changes in the Budget relating to the Ministry of Social Development. I am pleased to say that we are working on other initiatives that look to help Māori into employment. Some of those initiatives came through in the Budget, and we will be pleased to announce more as we go further ahead.
Why did she say: “The money that went into Enterprising Communities hasn’t delivered the employment outcomes hoped for.”, in light of the success of the apprenticeship support scheme in Ōtorohanga, which has seen unemployment of people under the age of 25 reduce to zero since 2006, and youth crime drop by 75 percent; the Te Whangai Trust, which has trained long-term unemployed people with massive social problems, with 20 of them getting jobs as a result; and the Greenways Trust, which provides work for disabled people, to name but some; or was she not aware of such programmes before she made her decision to axe them?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
To be clear on some of the ones that the member has raised, I can say that certainly the Ōtorohanga scheme has been very successful, and its funding continues; the funding has not been cut. It has 3-year funding—it has funding for next year—and I am pleased that it will be going ahead. Ōtorohanga currently has just 48 young people on the unemployment benefit. Te Whangai Trust is in the same situation; its funding has not been cut. It had a contract for $173,000 last year, has a contract for $96,000 this year, and has a contract for over $60,000 for next year, as well as the $142,000 it gets in job subsidies.
Does she agree with the Mayor of Ōtorohanga, Dale Williams, who said: “It’s disappointing that it’s being axed. It’s been the catalyst for facilitating a whole lot of projects around the country that are very worthwhile.”; if not, why does she not give him a call to find out how successful it is?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Actually, it was the member’s own party that brought in the Enterprising Communities scheme, so she should know that it provides start-up grants for 3 years. When those 3 years are up, those community enterprises are supposed to be self-sustaining. They are doing some good work out there. We are not axing any of the current Enterprising Communities grants. They will see out their 3 years, and I wish them all future success in becoming sustainable.