McClay Todd: Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill — Second Reading 
McClay Todd: Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:665;Page:13077] 
TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) 
: 
 It gives me pleasure to rise and speak in the second reading of the Social Assistance Future Focus) Bill and I recognise that the Social Services Committee recommended that the name be changed to the Social Assistance (New Work Tests 
Incentives and Obligations) Amendment Bill. I will comment briefly on a number of speakers from the Opposition who have raised points before me. Then I will talk about a couple of parts of this bill that I think are very important and that New Zealanders need to hear more about. The first speaker on the side of the Opposition in this debate—in fact the first Opposition speaker in this debate—Carmel Sepuloni showed us all of the reasons why New Zealand decided to change Governments at the last election. Ms Sepuloni’s speech—as with her party—was out of touch her speech lacked vision and it lacked aspiration and Ms Sepuloni told beneficiaries all over New Zealand that that was as good as they could get and that they should be happy with what life had dealt them. Ms Sepuloni stalked into this debate with her mock hyena print scarf and all she could do was talk about Minister Paula Bennett and she mentioned a picket fence occasionally. 
But the whole of her speech virtually was about the hard-working Minister Paula Bennett and I think that Minister Bennett is probably Carmel Sepuloni’s role model. I detected a little bit of envy there and can I say to those listening there is a lot to be envious of. She is a Minister who cares for New Zealand. She is delivering for New Zealanders but she is not delivering slogans or hype unlike the member opposite and the people of Waitakere recognise this. I hear the hyenas want their scarf back because the member opposite has given them a bad name. 
I will also comment briefly on the speaker from the Green Party and I cannot bring myself to mention her name after the horrible horrible things that she did and said in undermining the real concerns about child abuse in this country. She belittled the seriousness of the need to care for our children and I think she should be ashamed. She should wake up and do a bit of research to see what the difference is between what she is trying to suggest this bill is doing—and it is certainly not—and what child abuse actually is. I have yet to meet anybody in this House who is not appalled by the horrible statistics and incidents of child abuse in this country. I think what that member said is appalling. 
This legislation is about balancing obligations and support so that beneficiaries can achieve the best outcomes for themselves and for those who depend upon them. This legislation will support people when they are most in need it will encourage them to get back to work and act when they do not take responsibility for themselves. The legislation focuses on what people can do not on what people cannot do. 
I congratulate Minister Paula Bennett because she is delivering on a pre-election promise to reform the welfare system—something we campaigned on and that New Zealanders accept. I also congratulate Minister Bennett on believing that those New Zealanders who can work should work. I know that the Minister believes that it is not fair on ordinary hard-working New Zealanders if the people receiving benefits are not making every effort to get back into the workforce. This Government is committed to a system that supports people when they need it most but that also encourages people to get back to work as soon as they are able to. This Government wants people to take responsibility for themselves for their families and for other taxpayers. I have had feedback from people who have been on benefits and from those who still are and who echo those sentiments and actually want that as well. 
It is important to recognise that people who receive a benefit are able to do so only because others are going to work every day and are earning wages and paying their tax. We want people to help themselves and we will give as much support as possible to them in these tough times to make sure that that happens. 
This legislation does a number of things. It will introduce part-time work-testing for mothers on the domestic purposes benefit when their youngest child reaches the age of 6. It will also provide additional support to those families in the case of child support and care and assistance and the work testing will be reasonable and will take into account the importance of the security of those children. The legislation will also look at sickness benefit recipients. Where medically they are assessed as being able to do some work then there will be an expectation that they will be looking for that work. 
When it comes to the unemployment benefit it will be limited to 12 months. We heard from the ministry that at the end of this period of time in good time a letter would be sent to people who had been on the unemployment benefit for 12 months telling them that they needed to reapply. If they do so then there will be assistance and more talking given to them about why they have not been able to find a job and some of those issues will be talked through. I get feedback from hard-working people in my electorate who pay their taxes and who say that after a year this action is more than reasonable. I think we have the balance right but many others in this House and outside this House believe that a year is a very long time. I am not one of those. 
We have also recognised that there will be graduated sanctions for non-compliance with these work obligations. Instead of a straight-out cancellation this legislation is about working with New Zealanders making sure that they can have the skills that they are looking for work and that where jobs are available for them they realise it is up to them to go out and take those jobs. There will also be new criteria for hardship grants. That is right; contrary to what members opposite say hardship grants will continue. We have not heard that from the members over there. That is certainly not the message that those members are delivering when they are frightening and scaring some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders. There is a boost of income abatement levels in a number of areas where benefits are received—for those who are on the domestic purposes benefit the invalids benefit and the widows benefit and for the non-qualifying partners of those on superannuation and the veterans pension—to assist them to make them better off and to help them back to the workforce. 
Then there is training support. There is a study loan to support solo parents on the domestic purposes benefit to study again. Members opposite said that that would not happen but it is happening and I have mentioned the additional child support. 
It was a very difficult bill to see through the Social Services Committee. We had a wide range of views but I think the amendments and changes that have been made have got this legislation right. The information I get from the public is that they support it. I look forward to the next stage when we get to speak about this bill more. Thank you.