Salesa JennySPECIAL DEBATESCurrent Issues and PrioritiesIn CommitteeCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): The House is in committee for consideration of current issues and priorities in a special debate. There are four hours and 15 minutes for the debate. The following Ministers will be available to speak to their portfolios from 5 p.m.—the Minister for Social Development and Employment Disabilities Issues and ACC; from 7 p.m. the Minister of Transport; from 8 p.m. the Minister of Housing; from 9 p.m. the Minister for Children. Minister Sepuloni is in the chair on more than one portfolio from 5 p.m. So that the correct official is in the Chamber to support the Minister we will focus first on matters relating to the social development and disability issues portfolios. When I call the chairperson of the Education and Workforce Committee this will be the committee's cue to move on to the issues in the labour market and ACC portfolios. The question is that current issues and priorities be noted. If I can just note to whoever the Minister in the chair is it would be helpful to everyone if you could be seated right here to my right. Thank you so much Minister.Social Development and Employment Disability Issues and ACCCHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): I call on Ginny Ander—Angie Warren-Clark: Angie Warren-Clark.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Jenny Salesa): Angie Warren-Clark—my apologies.ANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee): That's not an insult Madam Chair. I'm delighted to stand as the chair of the Social Services and Community Committee and lead off this debate on the Estimates for Vote Special Development 2021/22. This report was tabled in July 2021 and it has been a while since the Minister was able to address this Chamber and we welcome her back here. I acknowledge the Ministers and ministries for their work during a difficult time under Delta COVID conditions. Vote Social Development is the largest vote in the Budget with $36.1 billion allocated which is a 4.7 percent increase from the year 2020-21. Benefits or related expenses account for 85 percent or $30.8 billion of Vote Social Development with New Zealand super at $17.7 billion being the largest spend per annum. Vote Social Development is the responsibility of eight ministerial portfolios. We heard that Budget 2021 proposes to increase main benefits on 1 July 2021 and 1 April 2022. In total we heard main rates would be increased by $32 to $55 per adult per week. We heard that families with children individuals couples and students will receive rises. We heard that childcare assistance will increase for low to middle income families. The orphans benefit and the unsupported child benefit will also increase. We heard that thousands of children will be lifted out of poverty due to these increases.We asked why benefits would be increased and were told by the Minister that this would have the twin outcomes of lifting the lowest incomes and increasing economic stimulus. We learnt that the Government had been advised that by early 2021 490000 people could have been receiving a benefit an increase of 100000 people. This predicted peak was not reached and we discussed actual numbers of people on benefits including those who work part time or cannot look for work or are caring for someone with a condition or disability.We asked about people on the job seeker benefit for longer than three years and which initiatives were most effective for moving them off benefit. We learnt that $1.24 billion is allocated to the multi-category appropriation improved employment and social outcomes support. This is an increase. We heard that the Flexiwage eligibility was expanded. Estimates hearings also covered support for children with disabilities payment cards for young parents debt write-downs changes to monitoring of Oranga Tamariki helping people to access and retain housing and emergency housing. We also heard about the reinstatement of the training incentive allowance for all courses up to level 7 and the doubling of the winter energy payment for beneficiaries including superannuitants.We discussed the disability sector and the Minister brought in sign language interpreters to make this hearing more accessible. We've continued this practice where we can. The appropriation promoting positive outcomes for disabled people is $8.6 million including funding for the Office for Disability Issues which monitors and implements the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by monitoring and promoting the implementation of the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016 to 2026 and the Disability Action Plan 2019 to 2023. We've heard that one in four New Zealanders are disabled. We heard that the Enabling Good Lives pilot under Vote Health will continue in three communities. This project encourages system transformation so that disabled people can determine how they use funding to best live their lives.The Minister discussed her plans for the sector the role of growing disability and accessible leadership and the advice for disabled people in the governance context. Finally we discussed helping disabled people who do paid work. As the chair of the select committee I sincerely thank the Minister officials the clerks and the select committee members for a thorough and robust set of hearings. Thank you.