7. Question No. 7—Social DevelopmentHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 7—Social Development7. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by all her policies and statements?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Yes in particular the statement I made in the House last week during question time that the previous Government had budgeted for 300 less case managers during their time from 2015. This was despite a growing demand for hardship assistance housing support and an increasing number of senior citizens requiring support. I therefore stand by this Government's policy to fund an additional 263 work-focused case managers through the 2019 Budget. This Government is focused on ensuring that those New Zealanders who need support with both financial assistance and support into upskilling training and employment are able to get the help that they need.Hon Louise Upston: Why has her department only helped 147 young people to secure a driver's licence in the past four months out of the Prime Minister's commitment of 2500?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The MSD has significant programmes running across the country now to support New Zealanders to get a driver's licence. I don't know the figures that that member is speaking to but there are a number of programmes and I wouldn't be surprised if she's only alluding to one.Hon Louise Upston: Does she agree with the Prime Minister that this is—and I quote—a small investment that can go a long way"; and if so would she say the current figures show this is a small investment that's barely going anywhere?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I would question the figures that the member has come to the House with. There are a range of programmes that are being run across the country to support New Zealanders to get a licence because we see that as an important way to support them into employment. What I will refer to is actually a statement made by the principal of Manurewa High School on breakfast TV last week where he thanked MSD. He thanked the Auckland regional commissioner for the work that we're doing on driver licensing and cited the important role that it's playing in the lives of Manurewa High School students.Hon Louise Upston: Is the Government still intending to deliver their promise to provide driver licensing to every high school student when they're struggling to support two and a half thousand?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Again I would question the numbers that that member has come to the House with. We are being very deliberate with our support towards young people and it's a pity that the previous Government didn't see fit to invest in drivers' licences for young people and for New Zealanders. For the young people I've spoken to who have already benefited from say the programme that's run between MSD and the Auckland chamber of commerce I've had very very positive feedback.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Minister to outline the substance—the huge platform of achievement—that she inherited from the previous administration on this subject? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Very little investment by the other side of the House with respect to supporting young people to get their drivers' licences—in fact supporting young people at all. I think all of us in this House can recall the former leader of the National Party saying that young people in New Zealand were "pretty damned hopeless". We don't feel that way on this side of the House.Hon Louise Upston: Is this driver-licensing policy an example like KiwiBuild and Mana in Mahi where the Government simply has over-promised and under-delivered?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I'm very proud of the investment that we are making into young people. There is a lot of effort that's been put into making sure that young people get access to drivers' licences but not just that. When you look at the entire programme that has been rolled out from this side of the House then you see that actually we're taking young people very seriously and we're taking their potential very seriously. We know the role that they have to play in ensuring that New Zealand is the very best New Zealand moving forward which is why we invested in things like Mana in Mahi and which is why we will continue to invest in drivers' licences for young people in New Zealand as well."