10. Question No. 10—Social DevelopmentHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 10—Social Development10. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister for Social Development: How many working-age people are on the jobseeker support benefit at the end of June 2019 compared to June 2018 and how many more working-age people are on the jobseeker support benefit in June 2019 compared to September 2017?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): The number of people receiving jobseeker support as at the end of June 2019 was 136233. As at the end of June 2018 it was 122513. At the end of September 2017 it was 120726. This includes people who are actively seeking work and those who are unable to look for work due to a health condition or disability. The difference is 13720 and 15507 respectively. As a percentage of the working-age population this is a 0.4 percent increase from September 2017 to June 2019.Hon Paula Bennett: Why does she keep blaming population growth as she has previously as a primary reason for the increase in jobseeker support benefit recipients when other benefits have not increased at the same rate?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The member is being disingenuous. I was very clear in the House yesterday that population growth is one of the reasons but the other reasons are that there has been softening in particular sectors—and I've referred to a couple of those manufacturing and retail being two examples. Also employers are looking for a level of skill that our Ministry of Social Development clients aren't always equipped with. That is why this Government is focused on upskilling and training so that people can get into meaningful and sustainable employment and so we don't see the churn on and off benefit that we saw under them.Hon Paula Bennett: If the Minister is so interested in training and support would she be surprised to hear that there are an extra 5000 18- to 24-year-olds on the jobseeker support benefit since September 2017 and that the Mana in Mahi programme has completely failed them?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: What we have seen is a reduction of young people going on to the youth payment which is very positive. Mana in Mahi has not been a failure at all. A 70 percent retention rate for young people who often have very complex needs is actually very positive. That 70 percent retention rate is much more positive than what we saw under the previous Government when nearly 50 percent of those who went off benefit after their welfare reforms were back on within 18 months.Hon Paula Bennett: So when there are 5000 more young people on the jobseeker support how many young people have gone through the Mana in Mahi programme?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: We have reached our target of making sure that in the first tranche there would be 150. But as we saw at the Budget we have budgeted for 2000 places. We see this as a real opportunity. The Ministry of Social Development is about providing financial support but also supporting people into meaningful and sustainable employment and we're taking that opportunity and working with these young people in their aspirations.SPEAKER: Just before we have the next supplementary I'm going to do something which occurred in the House yesterday and remind the member that there is a microphone system.Hon Paula Bennett: What role do place-based initiatives—or PBIs as they're often called in emails—have to play with helping vulnerable New Zealanders up to the age of 24 into meaningful employment?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: There's some wonderful work going on with the place-based initiatives. If I refer to the Manukau one they're looking at the complex needs that many of these families are encountering and obviously employment is one of those areas. We understand that actually for many of these families there are a range of challenges that they might encounter and that's why with regards to those that come through the welfare system it's about not just what we're able to provide through the welfare system but the support that we're providing across Government including—can I refer to—the $1.9 billion investment into mental health.