6. Inequality Economic—ProgressJAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of FinanceInequality Economic—ProgressJAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green): My question is to the ghost Minister.Mr SPEAKER: Order! That will lead to—[Interruption] No I am dealing with this. That will lead to disorder. Would the member ask question No. 6 without that embellishment.6. JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement on Radio NZ this morning that those people deserve as much support as we can give them"?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Acting Minister of Finance): On behalf of the Minister of Finance whom I have acted on behalf of—I do not know—several hundred times in the last 8 years—Mr SPEAKER: Order! And we will have the answer please.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Yes. This year alone taxpayers will provide $10.4 billion of welfare support to vulnerable New Zealanders and that excludes superannuation. So that is $10.4 billion of welfare support. For example this is the first Government in over 40 years to increase benefits for families with children by $25 a week—that is the first Government in over 40 years. It is increasing Working for Families to very low-income working families by over $24 a week and to other families by up to $12.50 a week. It is increasing childcare assistance for low-income working families providing free GP visits and prescriptions for under-13s providing breakfasts in schools to all schools that want it putting social workers in place in low-decile primary schools insulating over 300000—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to have to curtail the answer. The question simply asked whether the member stood by a statement he made and that was answered almost immediately.James Shaw: How many families does the Government project will be lifted out of poverty by the recent $25 benefit increase and by when?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I do not believe that that particular figure has been calculated and in any event the important ways of lifting the income wealth of families is actually by having a growing economy that delivers more jobs for families. That is the bit that makes the real difference. This helps it in the short term but in the medium to longer term it is providing them with work opportunities and the opportunities to succeed with their families and to provide their incomes for their families. That is the bit that actually lifts the income distribution of New Zealanders.James Shaw: Why does the Minister still believe that job growth will solve poverty when so many of the people who are living in cars and garages already have jobs?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Because jobs and higher incomes—growing wages—are very very important to growing the opportunities for families to succeed. The member can say that the level of wages is not important or the level of job opportunities is not important but I think most New Zealanders would realise that is exactly what is important.James Shaw: By what percentage have incomes for the bottom 10 percent of income earners risen or fallen relative to household costs over the last 10 years?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: That is a very detailed question and I would invite the member to put it down in writing and he will get an accurate answer for his supplementary question. But can I tell the member that actually under this Government the number of people dependent on their benefit for an income has reduced and the number of people whose children are dependent on a benefit income has significantly reduced. That is because more than 200000 new jobs have been created in the last 3 years which provide people with the opportunity to succeed.James Shaw: Does the Government think that all of the 80000 kids who go to school hungry every day should depend on Lorde for their lunch?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: No—and in actual fact most New Zealand children go to school with lunches able to be supplied by their families. In terms of the support that the New Zealand Government supplies we work with providers to ensure that there is breakfast in schools available and that children have a meal with those schools that need to have that extra support. But importantly we are increasing the benefits for families with children. We are keeping the cost of living under control inflation is currently around about 0 percent food prices have been dropping and fuel prices have been dropping. All those things help make the important things in life that the member refers to more affordable for families."