9. Question No. 9—Social DevelopmentHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 9—Social Development9. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Minister for Social Development: Does she stand by the numbers contained in her ministry's publications? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Yes particularly the ministry's publications released today the Families Package monitoring reports. It shows that the Government's $5.5 billion Families Package has put more money into the pockets of New Zealanders that needed it the most. Given that we've traversed all of the different initiatives and the number of New Zealanders that have been touched by the Families Package I won't go into the detail again but what I will say is that we are on track to lift 50000 to 74000 children out of poverty and I acknowledge our Prime Minister in leading the charge with respect to reducing child poverty in New Zealand. Hon Louise Upston: How many more children are in benefit-dependent homes since that Government took office? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I don't have the numbers for that in front of me. If she would like—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume her seat. If members are going to shout down a Minister when she's asked a supplementary which is a very specific supplementary from a general question it's not going to continue. Hon Louise Upston: Does she believe that the numbers provide an important context and if so why are the numbers missing from the graphs on page 10 of the Families Package Monitoring Report that was published today? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I will never have all the figures to specific questions that that member might like to ask in the House particularly when the primary question is general. However any specific question that she'd like to put in writing she is more than welcome to do so. I do think that that member is fully aware that the next update with respect to the number of children in New Zealand living in poverty that we can expect is in February and we've made very clear that that is when we can expect that report. Hon Louise Upston: What is the total budget for social development? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I think in the last Budget it was around $27 billion and a large proportion of that I do want to remind the House is actually superannuation. So despite the fact that that side of the House likes to refer to benefit numbers and beneficiaries in a negative way with respect to the spend that comes out of Vote Social Development we do need to keep in mind that actually the vast majority goes towards a universal superannuation scheme that I think all of us as New Zealanders are very proud of. Hon Louise Upston: Is the rushed release of this Families Package report that doesn't include all the numbers—isn't that just a desperate attempt to deflect from the criticism this Government has received from the Child Poverty Action Group that the numbers prove this Government's not delivering? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: This is not a rushed release nor did I push the Ministry of Social Development to bring these figures to me. The timing is such that I was able to release it this week. The member is fully aware that the numbers with regards to children living in poverty in this country and experiencing hardship will be released in February and I will say that I'm really proud of what this Government decided to prioritise when we first came into Government. I do need to remind this House that the alternative from that side of the House was tax cuts that would have seen $400 million going to the top 10 percent of income earners in this country and actually we don't think anyone in this House needs an additional $1000 a year.