Bennett Paula: General Debate 
Bennett Paula: General Debate 
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Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 The address from the previous speaker the Hon Shane Jones does not need answering because quite frankly it bordered on the ridiculous. Instead I will talk about the earthquake in the Canterbury region the effects it is having on people and the Government’s response to date from a welfare perspective. I acknowledge as other members of Parliament have done those people who are affected who are in distress and who are trying to live their lives as best they can. The earth is still moving they are still frightened and they are still very much in an unknown place. Not knowing what is coming next is I think one of the worst places to be. 
I have spent the last 24 hours in the Canterbury area and I have seen people who are living with the effects of the earthquake. I am so incredibly proud of the workers within Work and Income and the response they have given. On Saturday afternoon they were working at the welfare centres and they were ready to step up and give that level of support to people. Some people whom I met today left their own children behind at home—children who were distressed and upset—but they recognised they wanted to go into work and help other people. That is a true measure of the job they do. They have been working shift work in welfare centres in some cases from 6 o’clock in the morning until 11 o’clock at night. They have extended their hours. Some Work and Income offices have closed so that workers could go into other offices to try to meet the most urgent needs of people who are dealing with this emergency. 
Yesterday as the House has already identified at question time we announced the earthquake support subsidy. As of 11 o’clock this morning 65 employers with 20 staff or fewer have already stepped up to say that they want to take advantage of a payment to their employees of $350 per week. That money goes into the employers’ bank accounts. Employers can then pay their employees and top up that amount if they can—and we certainly hope they can—to give them a living wage while those employers have to close their businesses. We have also given some flexibility around that payment recognising that some employees are part-time and that in some cases as in a business with 10 employees there will be two employees still working on the phones but the other eight will effectively be out of a job in the short term while the business is closed and has only that administration going on. So those eight employees can get this assistance as well. 
Today we have announced a $2.5 million appropriation for counselling which will mean working closely with Victim Support the Salvation Army and Relationship Services to get qualified staff from other areas to supplement the people who are working there already and doing such a fine job. Some of those staff will be based within the welfare centres; others will be visiting homes. 
From day two Work and Income staff recognised that many elderly people were at home alone and that we did not know what they were doing and whether they were OK. We know who is living alone in Canterbury because of superannuation payment data. Our staff have made to date over 20000 outbound phone calls. Staff have now made contact with 12000 people but we are not quite sure where 6000 others are or how they are so staff have been visiting homes working in conjunction with the Salvation Army to check that those people are OK. 
I have heard stories of elderly people who will not get out of bed and have not done so for the last 3 or 4 days because they are frightened. They are not sure of their agility to move quickly if they need to when aftershocks happen because they are so frightened. Reaching out to a neighbour now is vitally important but it is equally important that we put that sort of support in around them. The 0800 779997 hotline has had well over 6000 phone calls coming into it. The queries have asked whether a street is closed when schools might open and how people can get financial help. But a record number of people have called the hotline to ask about how they can help and what they can do to make a difference and to support our community. People want to get in there and make a difference. We have had offers of payments to people and referrals to other agencies. It has been quite outstanding. Builders have asked how they can get in touch with people so they can help. 
Today I visited the student work gangs and I suppose members can see a little bit of a smile on my face because it was one of those lighter moments. The fire truck operated by engineering students turned up with 80 pizzas on it. The students started handing them out— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Oh Gerry was there. 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Ha ha! It was very commendable and something to look at.