2. Question No. 2—Social Development and EmploymentHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 2—Social Development and Employment2. Hon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with the seven out of 10 New Zealanders who believe the Government should increase income support for those on low wages or not in paid work; if so what actions will she take this year to increase income support?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Yes I do agree which is why this Government has taken action. We have invested $5.5 billion through the Families Package which introduced the winter energy payment and the Best Start payment. We removed excessive benefit sanctions and made getting support from Work and Income more accessible lifted benefits $25 per week and indexed them to the average wage removed the hours test for the in-work tax credits and invested in job training and apprenticeship programmes. From 1 April this year those on low incomes will also see the largest increase in abatement levels in two decades and a new minimum wage rate of $20 per hour. We were seeing progress made prior to COVID-19 and while this progress is encouraging we know that we have more work to do.Hon James Shaw: Point of order Mr Speaker. Just in reference to the second part of the question it was forward-looking for actions—SPEAKER: Well the member should have listened. I think there were at least two things which were dated 1 April—those are in the future.Hon James Shaw: What income support measures for families is she considering to address statistics released today showing an increase across five of the nine child poverty measures in the year to June 2020?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Statistics New Zealand was really clear that we need to look at the two years in its entirety to see evidence that is statistically significant. So if we look at that two-year period we see actually we have made progress in nine areas. That's not to take away from the fact that we need to do more. We recognise that we need to do more and we are committed to doing more. On 1 April this year as I said we will see the abatement threshold shift—for the first time to this extent in two decades. Benefits will increase more than what they previously would have because of the fact that we've indexed them to wages. The minimum wage going up is positive. I will say one other thing. The Statistics New Zealand information that the member talked about doesn't take into consideration changes made after March last year which would include benefit increases and of course the first time that benefits were indexed to wages.Hon James Shaw: Is she considering reforming the disability support system following the Statistics NZ finding that children in a household with at least one disabled person were over twice as likely to experience material hardship than a child living in a household with no disabled people?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: It's a relief that we have some data on disabled children in the recent statistics that have been released. The disability community have been asking for this for quite some time. So it's the first time that we've been presented with this type of information. I don't think it comes as a surprise to many of us. Anecdotally in our own communities we see that disabled children are often disproportionately impacted by poverty. I think we also need to take into consideration that ethnicity and disability information in this instance aren't necessarily mutually exclusive as well given that Māori and Pasifika have a younger profile and therefore a younger disability profile as well. So there is more to do here and the starting point is actually having the evidence and the data that we've been missing for so long.Hon James Shaw: When she says there is more to do here what actions will she take to increase income support for families with disabled parents or children?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: All of the changes that we've made in the welfare system have been set up to benefit those in the welfare system and I want to remind the House of that statistic. Fifty-one percent of those who are on benefit have a health condition or a disability of some sort or are caring for someone with a health condition or disability. So the changes that we've made to date—whether it be the Families Package whether it be the increase in benefits the indexation to wages or even lifting abatement thresholds that will come in on 1 April so people can earn more without losing all of their benefit—will benefit the people that the member has referred to: disabled people. There is more to do and we are committed to making sure that our welfare system treats people with dignity and addressing the income adequacy issues that come about through our welfare system. But I'm not going to pre-empt rule in or rule out any changes that might occur over the course of the year that haven't already been announced.Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: Can the member confirm that this is the first time since Working for Families was introduced over 15 years ago that we have seen Government policy making a sustained difference to child poverty levels and reduction in child poverty indicators against all nine measures that we use as a Government?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I can confirm that that is the case and also acknowledging that on this side of the House there has been significant progress made but we are committed to making more.Hon James Shaw: Does the Minister expect the nine child poverty measures for the year ending June 2021 to show an increase a decrease or a mixed picture of child poverty?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I think it would be premature for me to anticipate what those numbers will say. Clearly the whole country the whole world was affected by COVID last year. But as I said also the statistics that we have been given today don't take into account the benefit increases or the indexation of benefits to wages last year. So it is impossible for me to predict what they may look like.David Seymour: Does the Minister believe that the nine measures of child poverty will show an increase a decrease or a mixed picture if the Climate Change Commission's report was to be followed by the Government pushing up the cost of energy transport and housing for the poorest households?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The Climate Change Commission says the opposite.Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: Can the member confirm that the Government has purposely adopted nine measures to capture the fact that some child poverty measures are relative so unfortunately as median incomes increase as they have under this Government that means a larger group of children are captured in poverty data?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I can confirm that.