Mackey Moana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Mackey Moana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:621;Page:16439] 
4.  
MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: What reports has he received about the implementation of the October Working for Families changes? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 In October there were increases to accommodation supplement thresholds and abatement rates and childcare assistance rates and thresholds. These have been very positively received. In terms of take-up on comparing the first 3 weeks of October this year with the same period in 2003 one finds that two-and-a-half times as many accommodation supplements were granted and over four times as many childcare assistance subsidies were granted. Childcare assistance is particularly important to families moving from a benefit into work. I am delighted to see such strong take-up of that element of the Working for Families package. 
Moana Mackey 
: How does the Working for Families package assist people moving from benefits to work? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Through the Working for Families package the Government is making significant investments in childcare subsidies to address what is a major barrier to employment; it is providing an in-work payment which means that when people move into work work pays; and it is making significant increases to family income assistance which will assist in the end around 300000 families. Those changes sit alongside improvements in the minimum wage paid parental leave and workplace legislation and more active case management of people on benefits which will ensure that thousands of additional families have a family member in paid employment. Sadly Dr Brash and his colleagues have failed to vote for any of those changes despite their not having one single policy to help low and modest income families. 
Katherine Rich 
: Will the Minister confirm that while his glowing Working for Families promotional material shows a maximum gain of $170 per week for the fictitious couple Rod and Barbara the truth of the matter is that as per the answer to parliamentary written question No. 8943 only six families in the whole of New Zealand would have been eligible for that gain; and can he tell the House why he does not think that is misleading? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: That is why we put out case examples—so that people can work it through. But we have always been very clear— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: There is far too much noise. And while I am on my feet there will be no comment at all from anyone. There is far too much noise. I am happy to have the odd interjection but comment like that backs up the point Mr Prebble made earlier. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: To begin the answer again we have published material that shows the full range of assistance that people will get through the Working for Families package with the average family on between $25000 and $40000 having an extra $100 coming into its house. I invite the National Party to tell New Zealanders that it does not support that. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: Has the Minister seen any reports or proposals that persons eligible for the Working for Families assistance ought to be able to capitalise that assistance to assist them into homeownership or to reduce their mortgage liability; if he has seen such reports or proposals what is his reaction to those and what will he do about them? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I have seen speculation in the media about the concept of capitalising benefits. I imagine that many people in an older age bracket—not looking at that member in particular—would remember the capitalisation of the family benefit which is a nostalgic piece of policy for many people in that age bracket. It is a piece of speculation in the news media and it is something of course that is worth thinking about but we have no plans to move in that direction.