3. Question No. 3—Child Poverty ReductionDr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister for Child Poverty ReductionQuestion No. 3—Child Poverty Reduction3. Dr SHANE RETI (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: Since the passing of the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018 which if any of the economising behaviours measured in the DEP-17 material hardship questions have become more common; and if any which of these has increased the most?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: We do not have this data available for only households with children prior to the 2018-19 figures which were released in February 2020. I can advise that for all families including those without children there have been small increases in the following economising behaviours in the survey which covers the period from mid-2017 to mid-2019: cutting back on fresh fruit and vegetables feeling cold to save on heating costs repairing or replacing broken or damaged appliances and visits to the doctors. The most significant of these is postponing visits to the doctor which is why we have already made changes to improve access to GPs by reducing the cost for up to 540000 community services card holders and making visits free for 56000 13-year-olds. I can also advise that there were fewer families who bought less or cheaper meat postponed visits to the dentists and went without local trips. I would say that it is important that in looking at these individual items the DEP-17 index is not the way that experts would say is an effective way to monitor and understand the levels of material hardship.Dr Shane Reti: Which of the Government's measures of material hardship are most affected by rising house prices?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Again I think that references the last point that I made. Lifting out the individual details of the costs that are on families doesn't give a full picture. Clearly rising house prices and rising rentals affect a range of expenses that people will undertake.Dr Shane Reti: For every $10000 increase in median house prices how many children if any may move into a state of material hardship?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I'm sure the member's fully aware that a question with that level of detail would need to be put down in writing to be answered.Dr Shane Reti: Is the answer to that question: More people now than there were a month ago."?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Quite clearly we've seen rapidly escalating house prices but it seems to me that most of the initiatives that this Government has taken to improve the lot of the lowest-income New Zealanders have been opposed by the National Party. Be that the increases to the minimum wage the support that we gave to beneficiaries at the beginning of COVID-19—a range of measures that we've undertaken the National Party have opposed.Dr Shane Reti: How does she rate her performance in improving the state of children in material hardship to date?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister we have always acknowledged that this is a big job where there is a lot more to do. What I can be very proud of is being the Minister who put in place the Child Poverty Reduction Act so that we actually have indicators to report against and being the Minister who's overseen the introduction of the Families Package that's lifting hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders out of poverty.Dr Shane Reti: What does she say to recent statements by the Children's Commissioner and Treasury that hardship rates for children may increase further?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well what I would say is this Government is committed to doing absolutely everything that we can to reduce those."