5. Inequality Economic and Social—Household Incomes ReportJONO NAYLOR (National) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentInequality Economic and Social—Household Incomes Report5. JONO NAYLOR (National) to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made regarding the material well-being of New Zealand households?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister for Social Development): This morning I welcomed the release of the Ministry of Social Development's latest household incomes report and the companion report on material well-being using non-income measures. I applaud the ministry's work in this area and its role as the social sector leader on the measurement and understanding of trends in income inequality and material hardship. Very few countries collect as much detailed and in-depth information on this subject as New Zealand which highlights this Government's commitment to address the long-term drivers of poverty and hardship. This is the 10th issue of an ongoing series of incomes reports and it provides the Government with valuable long-term analysis that lets us gauge the effect of the work we do to support New Zealanders.Jono Naylor: What do these reports say about the long-term trends in material hardship and inequality?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: It is good news. In regard to income poverty which has traditionally been used as a basic measure for poverty there is no evidence of any rise in recent years. In fact depending on whether you look at measures before or after housing costs are deducted recent trends are all either flat or falling. There is also no evidence of a rise in poverty and material hardship trends for children and it is important to note that this data was collected before the Government's $790 million child material hardship package came into effect in April this year. In terms of inequality the report finds that there is also no evidence of any sustained rise or fall in household income equality before housing costs and there is also no evidence that the income share of the top 1 percent has risen in recent years.Jono Naylor: What is the Government doing to support people in material hardship and people on low incomes?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Although there is a lot of good news in these reports the Government would like to see the levels of poverty and material hardship come down further. We know that the best way out of poverty is work which is why this Government is focused on growing the economy and helping people get off the benefit and into sustainable work. We have also introduced free GP visits and prescriptions for under-13s served over seven and a half million breakfasts in schools put social workers in all low-decile primary schools introduced the Youth Service for young teen beneficiaries—[Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is now getting to the stage where the answer cannot be heard because of the interjections. It is to cease. Would the Minister complete her answer.Hon ANNE TOLLEY: —and insulating every State house that can be. The $790 million child material hardship package which came into effect in April this year saw core benefits for people with children increase in real terms for the first time in 43 years. It increased Working for Families payments for those on the lowest incomes and increased childcare support.