9. JO GOODHEW (National—Rangitata) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
How have Government social services been supporting the people of Canterbury?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I would like to update the House on the earthquake support subsidy. We announced the subsidy last week and to date we have had a very positive response from Canterbury businesses and employees. It is remarkable how quickly Work and Income got up to speed with it, but we knew that things would need to be tidied up as we went along. We have been working on issues such as stepping up the speed of application processing in the last 24 hours, clarifying criteria to include sole traders and business owners who pay themselves a wage, and working on banking payment issues. So far, over 990 businesses have applied for the earthquake support subsidy, covering 4,765 employees. To date, 823 applications have been approved.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
Yesterday I had the pleasure of sitting in on the welfare advisory group, and I want to thank it for all the work it is doing. Although the group is usually active, it has been meeting daily at 4 o’clock. The group that I saw yesterday was made up of over 30 people from central government, local government, and non-governmental organisations. As I said, the group meets daily to ensure a planned and coordinated approach to what is needed in the city. I think one of the measures of its success was Operation East, where a big group of organisations went into a street to work not just on compliance and building inspection but also on meeting the social needs of the residents in that area.
Jacinda ArdernWhat assistance will Work and Income give to the 28 people evacuated from their council-owned housing with just 1 hour’s notice, and with some arriving home to find all their possessions boarded up inside; and will she ensure that a generous approach is provided to those people who have to purchase everything from clothing and heaters to high chairs and toiletries?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I must say that to date Work and Income has been taking a generous approach to anyone who comes to its door asking for assistance. As of yesterday, Work and Income had approved over 2,800 special-need payments and civil defence payments. Yes, it will be helping those people in any way it can, and it will be erring on the side of generosity.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I suppose this is where I get to say a huge thanks to Work and Income, but many New Zealanders, including many Cantabrians, have already done so. Work and Income has now contacted well over 16,000 superannuitants who live alone, and it has visited more than 600 elderly people in their homes. It started with those aged over 80 who lived alone and were getting a disability allowance. I must say that those elderly people are a resilient lot because most of them, when visited, said that the person visiting their house should go away and look after someone else who might need them, but it has been well received. I acknowledge Minister John Carter for his support as Minister for Senior Citizens in standing up for those people and initiating the phone calls in the first instance.