SpeechSocial Development and Employment and ACCANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee): Thank you Madam Chair. It's a great pleasure leading off the debate for the 2023 Estimates for Vote Social Development as the chair of the Social Services and Community Committee. I want to acknowledge first and foremost the hard work of all involved in particular the officials and our clerks who have done an extraordinary job. Using a theme-based approach we've produced a wide-ranging report which can be found on the Parliament website based on four areas of work which I'll now outline.The Ministry of Social Development (MSD)—we examined the portfolio of social development and employment. The Minister the Hon Carmel Sepuloni attended the meeting and spoke on the effects of COVID. She focused on programmes to support getting people into work—these included Flexi-wage job expos seminars and our wraparound model of support. We heard 90 percent of the people who enter work under Flexi-wage stay in that role or move to other employment. We heard that 25 percent of beneficiaries entering work had been on a benefit for one to three years. Young people and upskilling was discussed involving the earn and learn model. The Training Incentive Allowance to help people better manage financially was also discussed. The Minister spoke about benefit numbers forecasts for 2022-26 from Treasury the context of COVID global events and the economic forecast indicating an increase in jobseeker support benefits. The Minister said that MSD would continue to work hard to beat Treasury forecasts and the best time to support someone into a job is when they have just come out of work. Jobs assistance for beneficiaries was discussed with intense case management helping to get more people into work supporting people to get their driver's licences with a multi-year investment of $86 million. Child support payments for sole parents would now be passed on from IRD to solo parents increasing their income by an average of $24 per week. Dental grants increased from $300 to $1000 including for non-emergency dental work. Beneficiary debt was discussed and we heard that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Revenue Dr Deborah Russell was leading work to ensure a consistent approach to owed debt and this would be a MSD Inland Revenue and Ministry of Justice project. We heard about beneficiary fraud investigations writing off debt to MSD and assistance with debt management. Finally emergency housing and the cost of living in those houses was discussed. We also asked about children in emergency housing and learnt that the average stay was 14.5 weeks. The youth appropriation—partnering for youth development has a $19 million allocation. The Minister the Hon Priyanca Radhakrishnan spoke about supporting young people affected by COVID and with complex needs the annual youth survey increasing equitable access to youth development services and participation. The Hive and Youth Parliament were also discussed. Next is the report of the disability sector. I want to acknowledge that this is a significant shift and the Minister for Disability Issues the Hon Poto Williams is now responsible for three appropriations totalling $2 billion. Namely we heard roughly 24 percent of New Zealanders live with some kind of disability. Budget 2023 includes a new policy initiative to establish a new ministry. I want to acknowledge the Hon Carmel Sepuloni for her work to bring the bill to the House and for the handing over of that piece of work. We heard that there are few comparable jurisdictions in the world that have a dedicated Government agency for disabled people. The Minister acknowledged that this establishment of Whaikaha work was credited to the disabled people who have advocated for themselves for several decades. Finally we heard from the Minister for Seniors. The Hon Ayesha Verrall spoke to the appropriation of $4.3 million. We heard of the better life strategy about the newly appointed Aged Care Commissioner and a series of other initiatives promoting positive outcomes for seniors the aged-care sector alternative housing for seniors preventing elder abuse the Dementia Action Plan and seniors in business. In closing the Social Services and Community Committee recommends that the appropriations for the year ended 30 June 2023 for Vote Social Development be accepted.