2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. In particular I continue to stand by our decision to increase the minimum wage to $21.20. This Government remains committed to supporting New Zealanders by raising their wages and we continue to stand by this policy that will directly benefit approximately 300000 workers—many of whom who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. Our position has not changed; just as I see the member's position of not having a position has not changed either.Christopher Luxon: Does she agree with the Salvation Army who said today that housing has become more than a crisis it is a catastrophe." and does she think rents going up $7280 annually under her Government has made things better or worse for vulnerable New Zealanders?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I absolutely agree we have a housing crisis and the member across the aisle belongs to a party that when in Government refused to acknowledge that and that is why they did not build enough houses. It's absolutely clear that we continue to play catch-up and the Salvation Army will know well the work that we are doing given we have partnered with them in our building programmes—many of which are innovative in the way that we are trying to partner together to grow supply. We have created over 8000 housing places since we've been in Government we will not stop there. I'd be interested to hear what the member's plan is because so far he's opposed every initiative to grow housing stock. Christopher Luxon: Why should anyone believe this Government is serious about tackling benefit dependency and hardship when there are 37000 more children growing up in a benefit-dependent home than when she became Prime Minister? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I have to say I am surprised because I thought the member may actually move away from the tired old tropes of the National Party when it comes to Government support. I would like to reflect also so that we can actually make sure that we're dealing in the facts: if you look at a quarter-by-quarter analysis of this period post one of the biggest crises we've had in a hundred years we currently have roughly 11 percent of our population on main benefits versus post the global financial crisis (GFC) 13 percent. So despite the fact this has been a huge crisis on this side of the House we have supported people to get back into work and done so some might argue more successfully than even after the GFC.Christopher Luxon: Is it her Government's approach simply to make poverty a slightly less miserable experience or does she agree the best approach to tackling hardship is to get people back into work and independence?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again deep irony being asked in that question by the leader of a party who saw child poverty worsen; when on this side of the House we against nine indicators of child poverty have turned each of them around. Is there more work to do? Absolutely which is why we have increased funding into the flexi-wage to support businesses to take on workers who may be receiving Government support; why we created Mana in Mahi which has seen our young people into training and education; why we brought back the full training incentive allowance which of course the National Party when in Government slashed. We have a record of moving people into work and we have done that; if you look at the National Party sadly they did the opposite.Christopher Luxon: Does she believe work is the fundamental source of people's dignity and that under her Government the number of Kiwis dependent upon a benefit instead of being able to provide for themselves through work has increased significantly?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I do believe that work is the source of dignity; I'm the Leader of the Labour Party. I also believe that work should also be able to put food on the table which is why I support an increase in the minimum wage and clearly that member does not.Christopher Luxon: If she can't get people from welfare into work and independence now at a time of low unemployment and widespread labour shortages when will she?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I'd actually point out again based on fact that the Government has. Because of its investment in things like the wage subsidy and our programmes like the flexi-wage Mana in Mahi and our other investments particularly in young people we have 96273 people less on the main benefits than Treasury forecast. Our efforts have actually outstripped the expectation that many had around the number of people who would require Government support during what has been a one-in-100-year economic crisis.Christopher Luxon: Does she accept that under Labour more Kiwis are getting trapped on a benefit for longer and more children are growing up in benefit-dependent homes because her Government can't get people from welfare into work?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again I utterly reject the member's assertion. I'm going to come back again to the facts. If you compare the percentage of working-age population on a benefit in December 2021 it was 11.7 percent compared to 13.1 percent in the December 2010 quarter when the National Government was in and we'd experienced the GFC. What we have just experienced was profoundly worse and yet we have done better than in the GFC. Also the number of people on a benefit for one to two years who went into work in the last quarter increased by 96 percent; those on a benefit for two to four years saw the year-on-year exit into work rise by 129 percent. The member I'm afraid is not looking at the facts."