5. Question No. 5—Social DevelopmentHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 5—Social Development5. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development: Is the figure of 4.3 percent which according to the Ministry of Social Development quarterly benefit statistics is the percentage of the working-age population on the Jobseeker Support benefit higher or lower than it was a year ago when it was 4.1 percent?Hon PEENI HENARE (Associate Minister for Social Development) on behalf of the Minister for Social Development: Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. On behalf of the Minister I can confirm that those figures are correct and that there's been an increase by 0.2 percent. This is offset by a 2 percent increase in the working-age population in New Zealand from June 2017 to June 2018.Hon Louise Upston: Why has the percentage increased?Hon PEENI HENARE: As mentioned in the previous answer the increase in the population—for example in Auckland—of the working-age population in Auckland has grown by some 34000. Therefore it's quite natural that there would be an increase.Hon Louise Upston: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The primary question on notice was a percentage of the working-age population. So the population comments that the Minister made aren't relevant.SPEAKER: Well I think one of the things that we do know and it's been established over a long period of time is that Speakers will not take responsibility for the quality of the answers. The member got an answer.Hon Louise Upston: How many more people are receiving the jobseeker benefit than a year ago?Hon PEENI HENARE: Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. It may be of interest to the member that the current unemployment rate is 4.5 percent in the June quarter whereas under the previous Government in the June 2017 quarter it was 4.8 percent.SPEAKER: That did not address the question. The member might like to ask the question again.Hon Louise Upston: Thank you Mr Speaker. How many more people are receiving the jobseeker benefit than one year ago?Hon PEENI HENARE: I currently don't have those figures on me right now.Hon Louise Upston: Why are there 9000 additional people on the jobseeker benefit while the unemployment rate has dropped?Hon PEENI HENARE: I've already mentioned the population increase in this country.Hon Louise Upston: In addition to the jobseeker benefit statistics increasing why has the number of benefit advances increased by 27000 and the hardship grants for food increased by 20000?Hon PEENI HENARE: Because we know that for far too long communities in this country have suffered under the previous Government. We've made it very clear that we want to make sure that all of those who are eligible receive fair and correct entitlements. That has meant that there have been resets that have made people come to Work and Income to make sure that they are receiving fair and correct entitlements. With regards to hardship I can say that the housing pressures have put pressure on families. Families have come in and sought the assistance that is available to them.Hon Louise Upston: Why has there been an increase of 9000 people on jobseeker benefits while her Government has reduced obligations and sanctions by 35 percent?Hon PEENI HENARE: We acknowledge that under the last regime which had a punitive approach towards those who are in receipt of a benefit with regard to sanctions—we want to work with these people to make sure we can give them meaningful employment opportunities. That means that they come in they work with our people we manage their aspiration and of course we match it to an appropriate job to allow them sustainable employment opportunities into the future.