8. Question No. 8—Social DevelopmentMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 8—Social Development8. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social Development: Does she believe our social support system should provide enough income for all people to live with dignity?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Yes I do agree and that's why this Government has already taken steps to increase income for New Zealanders. We implemented our Families Package which was the biggest boost in household income in a decade for thousands of families. In Budget 2019 for the first time in New Zealand's history we indexed main benefit increases to wages and also removed the punitive sanction 192. This year we have increased main benefits and doubled the winter energy payment. It is important to note that support for employment and access to upskilling and training were also cited by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group as being of the utmost importance. This Government's investment of $1.6 billion into the Trades and Apprenticeship Training Package and the $150 million extra into expanding the Ministry of Social Development's employment support is also crucial. We have always said that we couldn't make all the changes that we wanted to in one year or even in one term but this Government will continue to work together on how we can improve income support for New Zealanders.Marama Davidson: Is the COVID-19 income relief payment announced yesterday a recognition by this Government that current benefit levels are too low?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: This payment is temporary financial assistance in recognition of those New Zealanders impacted by job losses due to COVID-19 that may not be in some instances eligible for support in our current welfare system and/or find themselves unemployed at a time when the labour market is going to be much more difficult to navigate. The payment is one of a range of financial assistance initiatives that the Government is providing to New Zealanders. There is also further work under way to explore unemployment insurance schemes following a request from Business New Zealand and the Council of Trade Unions. This Government is exploring how to best support displaced workers and unemployment insurance is a key tool that many countries in the OECD use for that purpose. We want to understand the role it can play in New Zealand on top of the work that we are already doing to improve income adequacy through the welfare system.Marama Davidson: Should people with health conditions and disabilities be able to keep their full benefits when they enter a relationship with someone earning less than $2000 a week just like people who will be receiving a COVID-19 temporary income payment?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: One of the key parts of this Government's medium-term welfare overhaul plan is to review the settings underpinning income support including for example relationship settings and eligibility criteria. I look forward to us continuing to do that work together.Marama Davidson: What further work is being done to ensure that every one in New Zealand has enough to live on both during this crisis and long term?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Under our confidence and supply agreement we committed to an overhaul of the welfare system and we're already seeing positive impacts for people as a result of this Government's achievements—for example for a person receiving sole parent support with a six-month-old and no other income living in South Auckland increases under this Government have meant a total increase of around $200 per week compared to a person in the same situation in early 2017. In response to COVID-19 we have also implemented the wage subsidy which has supported more than 1.6 million employees through lockdown; developed a small-business cash-flow loan scheme; injected $27 million into the social services sector; and invested a further $30 million through civil defence emergency management into helping those with immediate needs around food and welfare. But I've never shied away from the fact that we have more to do in the long term to address income adequacy. We will continue our work to overhaul the welfare system to support the wellbeing of New Zealanders now and into the future.