3. Economic Programme—Support for FamiliesNUK KORAKO (National) to the Minister of FinanceEconomic Programme—Support for Families3. NUK KORAKO (National) to the Minister of Finance: What new Government policies to support New Zealand families will take effect from 1 July?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Acting Minister of Finance): A strong economy and improving public finances are allowing the Government to invest more in priority public services to ensure New Zealanders benefit from this country's progress. A number of measures take effect from tomorrow. Thousands of New Zealanders will benefit from the extra $124 million over 4 years invested into Pharmac which starts tomorrow. New Zealanders suffering from advanced melanoma will have access to the life-saving drug Opdivo and people living with hepatitis C will have access to two new drugs that have a 90 percent cure rate. In addition in the ACC area the ACC motor vehicle levy will reduce from tomorrow to around $130 annually—that is a $200 reduction since 2014-15.Nuk Korako: What changes to paid parental leave are coming into force from 1 July?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The maximum weekly rate for paid parental leave will increase from $516.85 to $527.72 per week. In addition the Government has recently extended paid parental leave from 14 to 18 weeks and increased eligibility. Parental leave in New Zealand is now slightly more than the OECD average. More workers are now eligible for parental leave payments. Eligible parents of pre-term babies are entitled to a longer period of payments and workers can take parental leave more flexibly if it works for them and their employer. Last year we increased the parental tax credit in Working for Families from $150 a week to $220 a week and increased that entitlement from 8 weeks to 10 weeks.Nuk Korako: What other policies came into effect this year to support New Zealand families particularly those living in hardship?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Budget 2015 included a number of measures in a $790 million package of support for children living in hardship and this came into force earlier this year. It included increased work expectations for parents on a benefit. Benefit rates for families with children rose by $25 a week after tax. This is the first time core benefit rates have increased apart from inflation since 1972. There is extra support for low-income working families with the minimum family tax credit and the base rate of the in-work tax credit both increasing and childcare assistance for low-income families has increased reducing barriers for parents moving off welfare and into work. That package targets around 160000 families with 300000 children with incomes of less than $36350 a year.James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek leave of the House for the Minister to simply table his speech notes. [Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think the point he is making is that the answer was relatively long I accept that. But it is question No 3 it is the first Government question of the day it is an issue that is important—at least to the Government—and I took that into mind as I considered the length of the answer.Nuk Korako: How is the Government's economic programme helping families by supporting more jobs and higher wages for New Zealanders?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Many members of the House will find this part quite important: one of the most important things we can do for vulnerable families is help parents into work. Two hundred thousand jobs were created in the last 3 years in New Zealand and a further 170000 are expected by 2020. The average wage is expected to reach over $63000 a year in that time. Statistics New Zealand yesterday provisionally revised the unemployment rate down to 5.2 percent which compares exactly with 5.7 percent in Australia and New Zealand now has the third-highest employment rate in the OECD.Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I realise that many members opposite—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Minister will resume his seat. I have a point of order.Hon David Parker: Thank you Mr Speaker. My point of order is if the Minister wants to cover 10 different matters in an answer he should be asked 10 different supplementary questions.Mr SPEAKER: Order! No. No.Hon David Parker: And my second point is—Mr SPEAKER: Then I will hear the second point.Hon David Parker: —at the start of that question we had a couple of sentences where the Minister just gave irrelevancies in advance of his answer instead of answering the question again lengthening the answer of his turgid prose.Mr SPEAKER: I will hear from the Hon Steven Joyce.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The subject of income distribution and wealth distribution has been discussed in this House—[Interruption] Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order and it will be heard in silence.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: —and I would argue that the information contained in those questions will be of interest not just to members of the House but to New Zealanders. And I think the Government has a right through the questions to actually explain what it is doing to help on some of the issues of the day.Mr SPEAKER: I accept that point. As I mentioned earlier it is question No. 3 it is the first Government question of the day and I am aware of a number of policies that come into effect on 1 July. As I mentioned yesterday I am the sole determinant of the length of an answer. If it goes for what I consider is too long then I will curtail the answer and that is what I did yesterday on a number of occasions. That one I felt was still giving information that I thought would have been important to members of this Parliament. If some members of Parliament do not find that information of relevance to them then at least offer the courtesy of letting the others hear the answer.