Heatley Phil: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — First ReadingText is subject to correctionHeatley Phil: Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 23 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14230. Text is subject to correction.]Hon PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei): National happily supports this bill the Social Security (Clothing Allowances for Orphans and Unsupported Children) Amendment Bill at first reading. I must say that colleagues certainly passed back to me—as someone on the Social Services Committee which is probably going to receive this legislation—that they have enjoyed their engagement with Tracey Martin on this particular issue. It has come from a very genuine concern for those people who are caring for vulnerable children and from wanting to make sure that the foundations of those families looking after the children are strong and in this particular case are economically strong. That is why she is bringing this bill to the House. We recognise that she has seen an issue that needs to be addressed and we certainly acknowledge that so we will support the bill at first reading.National believes we can provide further financial assistance to what we call kin carers in a better and more targeted way. She will be well aware that we have committed $10 million in a capped fund as part of the Children’s Action Plan to provide further support to kin carers. We have set up a ministerial reference group which is currently working through the options for how this extra funding will be applied. The select committee I hope will explore these options in good faith building on the good work already under way but will also more specifically work on the issues that Tracey Martin raises. So we have agreed to explore further financial assistance options. I want to make that assurance. We are supporting the bill at first reading because we agree with the bill’s intent but we would want any funding to be within the $10 million capped amount. We have sort of made that clear as well.We have got lots of demands on our welfare spend. This is by no means a least or a lower order priority. That is not the case at all. We know that more than 12000 New Zealand children are being cared for by members of the wider family because of the death of a parent or because of family breakdown. Currently kin carers are entitled to assistance to help with the costs of raising orphaned children but this whole issue around clothing allowances needs to be dealt with.The circumstances of grandparents raising grandchildren are often complex. Families find it complex navigating the myriad of assistance options that they could be eligible for. We are hoping that during the select committee process in the advent of this particular piece of legislation we can clarify it more publicly and get much more of a public discussion so that those who are kin carers are much more aware of the assistance and options that are available to them. Conversely we want members of Parliament across political parties to get a better understanding of what is available to kin carers and what is not available to kin carers. We may very well identify areas where we can do more.We know that Work and Income has been quite involved in making some changes to make things better for those people who take on children in these circumstances. It has assigned a manager at the national office to work with grandparents who are raising grandchildren. Field officers will be a single point of contact to work through the trickier more detailed elements in some cases. In partnership with the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust and The Parenting Place we have also developed a tailored tool box programme specifically for kin caregivers at a cost of $600000 a year.What I do want to signal to the House and to Tracey who raised this matter above many other matters that have been discussed in this House over the last 5 years and that have not gone anywhere near this issue is that we are very very interested in the points that she raised. They are legitimate. We have enjoyed the professional approach that shehas undertaken in engaging with the National Party team and we absolutely support this bill at first reading. We the select committee members will be approaching this with an equal amount of genuineness and openness to her suggestions. We support the bill. Thank you.