7. Question No. 7—Social Development and EmploymentANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 7—Social Development and Employment7. ANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What announcement has she recently made about support for New Zealanders to take up seasonal work?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Last Friday I was pleased to announce that the Government has introduced new incentives to encourage out-of-work New Zealanders into seasonal work like summer fruit-picking. These new incentives include up to $200 per week for accommodation costs if people are paying housing costs back home and at their seasonal job for up to 13 weeks; and a $1000 incentive payment for people who complete contracts of six weeks or longer—this will be paid in two $500 instalments halfway through and at the completion of the contract. We have also increased the wet-weather payment and the Seasonal Work Assistance Programme. This means that people who have left a benefit to do seasonal work will now receive minimum wage for every hour that they are unable to work due to bad weather for up to 40 hours per week. This payment was previously capped at $940; however we have lifted this to $2149 over 26 weeks.Angie Warren-Clark: What further support is available to help unemployed people in seasonal work?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Getting New Zealanders into work is our top priority. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is working closely with the horticulture and viticulture sectors to ensure that Kiwis make up the majority of the seasonal workforce this season and beyond. We recently expanded the 3K to Work programme which now allows MSD clients who relocate for a job that's longer than 91 days to get up to $5000. This has resulted in twice as many grants given in October and November this year compared to 2019 and covers things like moving costs furniture and the bond on a new rental. We're working hard to provide the right incentives for unemployed New Zealanders to get into this work.Angie Warren-Clark: Why are these incentives important?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The Government is acutely aware of the impact that COVID-19 is having on employment globally; New Zealand is not immune. We are also acutely aware of the labour shortages that exist in the horticulture and viticulture sectors every year but exacerbated this year by COVID-19. Even with the border exception of 2000 Recognised Seasonal Employer workers that Minister Faafoi announced last Friday and the 6000 who have remained in New Zealand over the winter we acknowledge that there is still a gap. My announcement is part of a cohesive plan to address unemployment and workforce shortages and sits alongside the work being led by the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Agriculture. We recognise the immense value of our horticulture and viticulture industries and will continue to work with them to ensure the terms and conditions of employment are favourable to New Zealanders taking up these opportunities.SPEAKER: Order! I think members are aware with the change in balance in numbers of the House that numbers of questions and numbers of supplementaries have changed and it means that the member's party has significantly more than previously. I don't expect the lengths of answers to go up in the same proportion.