Dyson Ruth: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Dyson Ruth: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10916] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for ACC) 
: 
 It gives me a huge amount of pleasure to be able to contribute in the debate this evening on the Prime Minister’s statement and to welcome everyone back to Parliament for another good year of government—a year of good government under Helen Clark’s leadership. 
When the Prime Minister spoke yesterday about the achievements we have been able to progress over the last 4½ years and the plans for the year ahead I felt very comfortable knowing that her vision her integrity and her confidence in leadership are secure and that New Zealanders themselves can feel secure under that leadership. That security has not been around in the past under National-led Governments regardless of whether they were in coalition. People have felt threatened people have felt abused and people have not felt confident and valued as members of New Zealand society. That has been a very important change for us to make so that all New Zealanders feel valued feel welcomed and feel part of a country that is going forward and continuing to make its mark in the international arena. 
For the particular citizens of our country for whom I have the privilege of being an advocacy Minister that change has been tremendous. For New Zealanders with disabilities particularly the change in their opportunities the fact that New Zealanders now value people with disabilities for their contribution and provide the support and opportunities necessary for them to be able to make a contribution to the best of their ability has been a huge change. I want to mention just a couple of areas and one in particular that will be progressed further this year. It relates to one of the two most important areas for me and that is the opportunity to have a job. 
Far too many New Zealanders with disabilities are denied the opportunity to get a decent job in our country. That is for a variety of reasons. Some of it sadly is because of attitude. We do not have as good an attitude as we might have and I hope everyone in the House will be able to work together to improve the attitude that some employers have to employing someone with a disability. Some of that negative attitude is just based on ignorance so the more we can do to educate employers about the opportunity for them to employ a disabled person the better. 
That expansion of opportunity has been solidly backed up by the work we have done in particularly the vocational services area where we have made a major contribution to social development by ensuring that we put money and resources into and strengthen the infrastructure of the vocational services providers around the country and focus our increased money on supported employment. I have been really really encouraged by the strengthening of the vocational services sector and the increased opportunities that it has been able to offer people with disabilities. We have built the foundations for change in that area and I am determined to see that change progress more this year the year after and in many more years to come. When we were elected to Government just 4½ years ago we came in on a commitment to increase the vocational services support for people with disabilities and it was the first increase in funding for their providers for over 6 years. So the National Government in the past denied many people the opportunity just to get a job; that has changed and the situation for people with disabilities will continue to improve. 
There are 176000 more New Zealanders in work since the election of a Labour-led Government and I would like to see us getting really really short of people who are unemployed and people who are on a benefit. Part of that is ensuring that the transition from unemployment to work is supported and that the job is of a quality such that the person thrives and wakes up in the morning wanting to go to work—although probably not feeling ecstatic every day like we do—is provided with genuine satisfaction and a good challenge to himself or herself and is properly reimbursed for that work. So sustainable employment in satisfying work is where this Government is determined to put its effort. 
We have changed our focus from the social deficit model that was run under the previous National Government to a social development model where individuals where all New Zealanders are valued for the contribution they can make. We see it as a Government responsibility to support them to make that contribution. The support will come in a variety of ways. Sometimes it is through financial assistance for an employer. Sometimes it is through workplace modifications. Sometimes it is in other areas that members of this House may not directly relate to an opportunity for employment—things like ensuring that transport is available. We need to do a lot more work on public transport to bridge that gap for many people particularly those in provincial areas between their home and a job because many people do not have a car. 
Another area where we have made great strides and will make a lot more this year which is particularly pleasing to women around the country is childcare. In the early childhood education sector we can offer accessible affordable quality early childcare. That not only is good for the children and good for the families but offers both parents the opportunity to contribute in the paid workforce in a way that without that early childhood education without that childcare they would not be able to afford. For me the opportunity for more people to have a sustainable job is one of the most important responsibilities that this Government has delivered on. 
One of the other responsibilities is home support. Other than a job people want a secure home but they need not necessarily own it although a lot of New Zealanders still prefer to own their own homes. But security of tenure is vital for that person’s individual security and the security of his or her family. The increased number of people who now are able to afford to stay in their own home—renting it or owning it—for longer and are not constantly having to move means that the stress on the family is reduced community links are maintained those people are able to contribute more to a community they feel part of and their children are far less likely to be disrupted and frustrated when they change schools. A change from one home to another is apparently one of the most stressful things that an individual can go through. By introducing income-related rents by making State housing more affordable by improving access to the accommodation supplement and by ensuring that we are increasing the State housing stock throughout New Zealand we have greatly improved people’s access to an affordable home and have added to their security. 
The opportunities that we have created through employment and the enhanced security that we have given people through improved housing opportunities are major contributions to the social development of our small but very proud nation. 
The final point that I want to mention is in the health area. I have been very proud to be an Associate Minister of Health. I have responsibility for what we call age care—health and disability services for people over the age of 65—as well as disability services for all others. One of the big pieces of legislation that the House will be progressing this year was tabled just prior to Christmas. It introduces the phase-out of asset testing for older people in care. I am very keen to have that legislation not just progressed but passed because it is due to take effect from 1 July next year. At the moment our citizens over 65 can keep only a very small amount of their assets when they go into care. They tend to use up the whole lot so they are no longer able to leave their life-savings to their families as the majority of New Zealanders have intended. They end up having to spend it on their own care. That has been a sore point for a long time and we have decided to take a huge step forward in removing that inequity between the way that health support services are provided for people under 65 compared with those over 65. So that legislation to remove asset testing will be a good day of celebration not just for over-65-year-olds but for all of us who are getting closer every day to that age and are looking forward to the opportunity to perhaps live in a rest home at some time in the future. 
The final point I want to mention in the area of health is the strengthening of the primary health organisations. From 1 July all New Zealanders over 65 will have access to low-cost primary health-care and pay only $3 in prescription charges. That is a huge help for many older New Zealanders who feel there is a financial barrier between them and the doctor or between them and the medication they are prescribed. That is a major contribution to social development and I am really excited about the progress we will be able to make again this year.