Lee Melissa: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Lee Melissa: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 14 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4348. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MELISSA LEE (National) 
: 
Ahn nyung ha se yo. It is a great pleasure to rise to take a call in this estimates debate. I would like to echo my chairperson of the Social Services Committee Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and his acknowledgment of the Minister for Social Development because I have seen the passion in her eyes when she talks about welfare. She would be unrivalled in her passion and her hard work. I would like to thank her to start off with.  
Is it not interesting to hear Mr Hague talking about the imbalance in society? The members opposite have actually opposed every single growth initiative we have proposed just as they have opposed every single restraint that we have made to get back into surplus just as they have said no to making welfare work in this country yet they still talk about inequality. New Zealand is only one-quarter of 1 percent of the world’s economy so we are in fact negatively affected by what goes on in the rest of the world. But if we continue to do things right as this John Key - led Government is doing it will conversely have a positive effect on New Zealand like stimulating new jobs and delivering those better services for families that we talk about while staying on track for surplus in 2014-15. 
Budget 2012 sees this National Government investing in welfare reforms—an upfront investment of $287 million over the next 4 years in the first phase of the reforms. The second phase of the reforms will be funded by Budget 2013. Yes it will cost more up front to save over the long term. We have always said that. But this translates to more support to help people off welfare and into work. The entire welfare package is expected to cost at least $520 million and is expected to save $1 billion over 4 years and to me that is good budgeting.  
We will keep protecting vulnerable New Zealanders through Working for Families New Zealand superannuation and welfare benefits. However we believe that those who can actually work should work. We have said that over and over again. People who can work should work. That is why as part of the first phase of the welfare reforms we are investing $287.5 million in education and training. These reforms are designed to provide better support for beneficiaries to help encourage them back to the workforce.  
This Government cares about our young New Zealanders. Funding for youth services will provide budgeting and parenting courses milestone payments to providers and wraparound support as well as financial assistance to young people. Youth providers will work with unemployed or disengaged young people and teen parents too to get them into education get their National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 2 or get into training. Even financial assistance for contraception is included in Budget 2012. We know that some on welfare find cost is a barrier to accessing long-acting reversible contraception so we are removing that barrier.  
Wider welfare changes include a new work-focused benefit called jobseeker support a part-time work expectation for sole parents with children over 5 a full-time work expectation for sole parents with children aged over 14 a new sole parent support benefit to replace the DPB and a new supported living payment to replace the invalids benefit and the DPB care of sick and infirm benefit. It is an investment approach to the welfare system and I think it is something that the Minister is leading in this area around the world.  
National’s Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill has passed into law and starts our investment approach to welfare in this country. We need to get the best results based on an individual’s likelihood of falling into the welfare trap. We cannot see more young people falling into this trap of being dependent on welfare. Too many people have been on benefits for far too long. We know that young people who come on to a benefit early stay on a benefit longer and we know how destructive long-term welfare dependency can be. Getting them off welfare and into work means a better life better opportunities and a brighter future for them and their dependants their children and their families. That is why we are overhauling and modernising the welfare system. We started with Future Focus changes which introduced greater expectations and the next step will be the second phase of major welfare reforms which introduce new benefit categories and a greater focus on work. This is a great Minister and a great Government working hard for New Zealanders. 
Vote agreed to.