Macindoe Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Macindoe Tim: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:674;Page:20382] 
3. 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: What progress has been made on the implementation of Future Focus? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 When we announced Future Focus there were 345000 beneficiaries; now there are 328000. So despite a recession we now have 17000 fewer people on benefits. Prior to Future Focus 75 percent of beneficiaries had no work-test obligations. Now because of these changes that figure is 63 percent. Future Focus is responsible for much of this success because we have had a greater focus on work on more childcare support and on clear obligations. Seeing those on the unemployment benefit having to reapply has made a significant difference in this area as well. 
Tim Macindoe 
: How many people have asked for extra help since the Future Focus changes came in? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: As I have said in this House many times help is there for those who need it. There is certainly help through special-needs grants and advances on benefits. But 54 percent of beneficiaries have not required a single hardship grant during this 9-month period and 15 percent of beneficiaries have asked for just one hardship grant. That suggests the majority of people on a benefit are managing their finances reasonably well—and there is help for those who need it. Another interesting fact is that 97 percent of those over 65 have not asked for a single special hardship grant. 
Hon Annette King 
: Were the 7400 people who she said came off the unemployment benefit under Future Focus all under the age of 25 years single and receiving no other taxpayer support; if not how did she calculate the $6 million savings? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: No they were all people who were on the unemployment benefit so they were not necessarily aged under 25; they were within the age for the unemployment benefit. The Ministry of Social Development calculated that of those who were on it they were most likely to come off over a period of time and it did the calculation that way. That is how it came up with that figure. 
Hon Annette King 
: Why if Future Focus has been such a success at getting people off the domestic purposes benefit have the numbers of people receiving this benefit reached a 10-year high with the cost to taxpayers having increased by nearly $200 million since she became the Minister? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: Because there has been a thing called the global recession. It has actually had an effect on jobs which the member may not have noticed. Things have been a little bit tough in the last 3 years. So yes we have seen as the household labour force survey says quite regularly a reduction in part-time employment opportunities for those on the domestic purposes benefit. That makes the changes since September last year all the more remarkable. The fact that in these times as we come out of recession we have managed to find work for more people who were on the domestic purposes benefit than before is remarkable and a sign of these changes.