Yang Jian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Yang Jian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 18 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5275. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
8. 
Dr JIAN YANG (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development 
: What changes will the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill make to the welfare system? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development) 
: 
 We are making changes to New Zealand’s welfare system and turning it into one that has an active and work-focused investment approach. The bill has been introduced to the House and is expected to be read within the next couple of weeks. 
Dr Jian Yang 
: What changes are being made to the current benefit categories? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: There will be three new main benefit types which will replace the current seven. Jobseeker support will be for those actively seeking and available for work. Those numbers from the unemployment benefit will go up to about 135000 as we include those on the sickness benefit and those on the DPB whose youngest children are 14 years or over. The new sole parent support which will go down because it has got those people who have their youngest children aged 14 or younger will have around 88000 people on it on today’s numbers. The new supported living payment is for people significantly restricted by sickness injury or disability. However it will go up because it will also include those who are on the domestic purposes benefit caring for sick or infirm which is for those looking after someone who would otherwise require hospital care. 
Dr Jian Yang 
: How will the changes ensure a greater work focus? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: We are placing a greater focus on work. The new jobseeker support will include those capable of work and also those who are temporarily exempt but soon will be able to work. Those currently on the sickness benefit will be now included in the jobseeker support and will be assessed through their work capacity. I think the main difference is that we are looking at what people can do instead of what they cannot and then wrapping the supports round them so that they can get back to work quickly. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Will she guarantee every child in the home of someone who is subject to her social obligations a place in early childhood education and access to free doctors’ visits if they are under 6? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: The member has asked questions around this before and I have always been quite clear. The social obligations say that we want to have children in early childhood education we want kids who are school aged to be at school we want them to be enrolled with a general practitioner and we want them to get those sorts of obligations there. If they cannot because there are barriers or there are not places then we will make sure that they are acknowledged and they will not be sanctioned or penalised for that. We also know that there are empty spaces in early childhood centres that are not being taken up by children who are around that area and who would hugely benefit from that. So we want to support them into it.