Logie Jan: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLogie Jan: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 13 August 2015. Volume:707;Page:5801. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.JAN LOGIE (Green) to the Minister for Social Development: What actions if any has the Ministry of Social Development taken to ensure the well-being of children in families subjected to benefit sanctions given that sanctions of sole parents have increased by 19.98 percent in the last year?Hon ANNE TOLLEY (Minister for Social Development): I am not sure where that member is getting her figures from or her maths but they certainly do not match any of the figures that I have received from the Ministry of Social Development. Sole parents are expected to be available for and looking for work to care for their children and to keep Work and Income updated on their progress. Beneficiaries receive a number of notifications before a sanction is even put in place. Beneficiaries with children can never be sanctioned for more than 50 percent of their main benefit and they continue to receive the full amount of any supplementary assistance. In fact under this Government fewer people are having their benefit stopped because of sanctions and there has been a 34 percent reduction in suspensions and cancellations since 2011.Jan Logie: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This was a question on notice that was authenticated in the response to—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! It is quite appropriate for a Minister to then dispute the figures that the member has provided as authentication for that question to be accepted—quite acceptable.Jan Logie: So what if anything is the Minister doing to address the fact that two-thirds of sanctions have been for missing one appointment which then halves a family’s income throwing children’s lives into chaos as parents struggle to pay for rent and power?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: Well in fact that is not true. That is not correct and there is no way that a sanction of that nature would be applied for missing one appointment. In fact the member is correct that the most common reason for a sanction is missing appointments but it is not too difficult to expect people to turn up for a pre-arranged appointment. If they cannot make it Work and Income people do go out and meet people in their own homes. A telephone call will actually avoid any further action.Jan Logie: Does the Minister believe children’s warmth and security of housing should ever be put at risk due to their parent missing an appointment because Work and Income had not processed their paperwork they missed a bus or there was a death in their family?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: What I can assure that member is that if any of those issues are raised with Work and Income by the applicant they will be taken into account. Work and Income is there to support those solo parents and to make sure that their children get the very best start they could possibly get in life.Jan Logie: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Who wants to go first?Metiria Turei: It is pretty clear from the question that the Minister was asked whether she believes a child should ever be put at risk—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can I just have the point of order.Metiria Turei: —and that was not addressed in her answer.Mr SPEAKER: If the member is referring to the last supplementary question that was asked it was very clearly addressed. The member took the opportunity of quoting three reasons why a sanction may be imposed and the Minister took the opportunity of saying that if Work and Income knew of those three reasons it would not impose the sanction. The question has definitely been addressed. [Interruption] Order! If the member wants to stay and continue her line of questioning she had better adhere to the Standing Orders.Jan Logie: Is the Minister still hoping to achieve her Better Public Services target of a 25 percent reduction in the number of people receiving a main benefit despite the stormy economy ahead by making life so stressful and precarious that people are coming off benefits even if they have no job to move into?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: This Government is determined to ensure that all New Zealanders have the opportunity to live full and successful lives. That includes people who are reliant on a benefit and the children in those homes. We know that the best way out of poverty for those parents and children is through work. So we are definitely focused on achieving that 25 percent reduction and helping those people live better lives.Jan Logie: Why is the Minister intent on holding the line that getting people off a benefit will improve child poverty when the household income survey released today shows that despite a drop in the number of children in beneficiary households there are now an additional 45000 New Zealand children living in poverty?Hon ANNE TOLLEY: I would absolutely dispute the last statement that that member made. It is a gross and serious misrepresentation of the report that was released today.