12. Question No. 12—Social Development and EmploymentRICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 12—Social Development and Employment12. RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH (Green) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What actions if any will she take to help the extra 20000 people under 30 who are not in paid work compared to a year ago?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): The Government has implemented a number of initiatives to support younger people into employment including our Apprenticeship Boost programme which currently has 21000 people across New Zealand gaining trade qualifications; Mana in Mahi which has seen 2546 young people placed into work; He Poutama Rangatahi which now has 2275 young people in education employment or training; and Flexi-wage which will be rolled out over the course of the next two years for 40000 places. These initiatives—like many if not all of our opportunities to upskill train and take up employment—are targeted towards people who might be disadvantaged in the labour market; that of course includes young people.Ricardo Menéndez March: Do Government employment schemes such as Mana in Mahi guarantee at least a living wage; if not why not?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: No not necessarily a living wage: some will get paid the living wage; some are on the training wage; some are on the minimum wage.Ricardo Menéndez March: Will she further increase core benefit levels to provide livable incomes to young people under 30 who are often disadvantaged in a tight labour market?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: We committed in our manifesto coming into the election to ensure that we continued to address income adequacy in the welfare system—and we are committed to doing that. I will say that the vast majority of people who are on benefit do want to work; do want to take up the upskilling and training opportunities to be able to get into the employment that is available. So on top of improving income adequacy in the welfare system we are committed to ensuring that young people have access to upskilling and training opportunities so that they can get into work.Hon Louise Upston: Is it still correct that of the four people supported into employment by the $50 million Māori Trades and Training Fund only two were under 25 and if not how many under-25s have now been supported into employment by the $50 million fund?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I just need to point out that the member does not accurately depict the Māori trades training programme. In order to be able to complete qualifications—and trades training does take time—then they need time to be able to complete them. So also this has been a programme that we have rolled out that has not been fully rolled out; however it is not the only programme in place to support Māori young people who may not be in employment at the moment. I need to point out the Apprenticeship Boost—not just Mana in Mahi as well He Poutama Rangatahi and Māori trades training. This Government is taking a very fulsome approach to addressing the needs of Māori young people during a time where there is a bit of a tight labour market.Ricardo Menéndez March: Does the Minister think it is fair that young people on jobseeker who are under 25 get less income support than people over 25?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: This was highlighted in the Welfare Expert Advisory Group and it's certainly something that I think we need to look at. It was a decision made by the previous Government prior to Labour. I am interested in receiving advice from the Ministry for Social Development on the differential rates. It is in our medium to long term plan to look at that; it is not something that I am addressing right now.Ricardo Menéndez March: Is addressing those changes in the medium and long term urgent enough for people like Randeep in Manurewa who is currently forced to decide between lunch and electricity?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: As I said earlier we have committed to this term addressing income adequacy within the welfare system as well as continuing to expand opportunities for people to take up upskilling and training and to get into employment. With regards to young people as I said earlier that is in the medium to long term plan and I look forward to getting the advice. But I will also say that we have lifted benefits we have indexed them to wages. There is more to do and we look forward to doing that.