Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:669;Page:16001] 
7. 
CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Does she agree with the Alternative Welfare Working Group that welfare reform should be focused on “the relentless pursuit of well-being”? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 That is a very idealistic goal. This Government takes a more pragmatic view preferring to concentrate on an unrelenting focus on work. I note that the member had her policies written down in a song “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. I hope the House gets an opportunity to hear some of that today. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: I am sorry to disappoint. Will she commit to meeting the members of the Alternative Welfare Working Group to discuss their findings; if so when? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I see them as submitters to the Welfare Working Group. They have an opportunity to submit to that group. I think that is the right process for them to go through and I look forward to recommendations coming from the Welfare Working Group. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does she agree with the Alternative Welfare Working Group that the current emphasis on paid work is too narrow and treats caring for children as inferior secondary and unimportant? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I think we all agree that children are at the centre of what this Government sees as social development and social policy. Hence when we talk about child poverty and those people who are on benefits for long periods of time it is children who are most disadvantaged. Our focus is on getting those people into work giving them the skills to get there and helping them in any way we can in that respect. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does the Government accept that raising children is work? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: It can be hard work at times; it can also be incredibly pleasurable and something that most people aspire to and enjoy doing. I hope that the member’s co-leader enjoys his experience in the next few months as well. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Why should single mothers be required to work in minimum wage jobs instead of caring for their children when middle-class mothers can choose to stay at home? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Of partnered women 68 percent are in paid work at this time; and of sole parents approximately 52 percent are in paid work. I do not discern a difference between sole parents and those who are in partnerships. Some mothers choose to work and some mothers do not and that is a matter for those women whether or not they are partnered. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question asked why single mothers should be required to work instead of being able to stay at home. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister responded. It was not perhaps exactly the answer that the member expected but I think it was a reasonable answer to the question asked. The Minister explained the situation that partnered women are working in paid work rather more than women who are not partnered. I think it was a reasonably interesting answer to the question. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does she agree that accessing education while caring for children is a good way for parents on the domestic purposes benefit to prepare to move into work; if so will she consider reintroducing a form of training incentive allowance? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: There is extra assistance for those who are on the domestic purposes benefit and in study at the moment. There is an extra $500 loan that they can take. There is a lot of assistance for those people now. Certainly at this time the Government feels that that is enough but we look forward to seeing recommendations from the Welfare Working Group. As such we will not be pre-empting it. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Should every child have access to the essentials this Christmas regardless of whether their parents rely on a benefit? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: That is certainly what New Zealand stands for and certainly what this Government stands for as well. Those children should be cared for and looked after. I believe that our policies and what we put in place to support them does that.