Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Beyer Georgina: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:628;Page:311] 
8.  
GEORGINA BEYER (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: What reports has he received on the number of people on benefits? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 The latest quarterly figures prepared by the Ministry of Social Development show that in the year to September 2005 the number of working-age New Zealanders on benefits dropped by a further 16000 or 5 percent. There are 83000 or 22 percent fewer New Zealanders receiving assistance than there were in 1999. 
Georgina Beyer 
: Given yet another remarkable result my supplementary question asks: does the Government have an estimate of the value of moving so many people from benefits into work? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. You may be tolerant of new members starting questions like that but this is not a new member and it should not be encouraged or even allowed. One would hope Madam Speaker that you might ask the member to refrain in future from those sorts of comments. Further I might add that we have noticed those sorts of comments coming through from answers today that have gone largely unchecked as well. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for his comments. He is quite right. I direct his comments also to all members in the House. I ask members just to stick to the question. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: For each individual in the workforce of course the value to his or her self-esteem and sense of worth is immeasurable. Additionally though it is important to note that moving 83000 New Zealanders into work amounts to a saving of at least $14 million per week. The reduction in expenditure therefore between 2003 and 2005 alone totals some $3.3 billion. 
Judith Collins 
: When does he expect a decrease in the sickness and invalids beneficiary numbers which despite the glowing reports he has just given us have continued to soar under his Government? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: There is no disguising what has been phenomenal success overall. Under this Government 301000 more New Zealanders are in jobs. We have the lowest unemployment rate in the OECD and the total number of working-age New Zealanders on benefits is as I said 22 percent lower. It is true that there has been a slight increase in sickness beneficiaries but the suggestion of the questioner does not hold water. Unemployment has decreased by 98600. That is four times the net increase in sickness beneficiaries. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The Minister has to address the question. The question asked when he expected a similar decrease in the numbers of sickness and invalids beneficiaries. We have just had an absolutely angry response from the Minister—he was angry that I have dared to ask this question. He has not actually addressed it. I ask him to address the situation of sickness and invalids benefits and when we might see and expect a decrease. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. The Minister in his answer to the question did address the question of sickness benefits. It was obviously not to the satisfaction of the member but she has an opportunity to ask another supplementary question. 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: The sickness and invalids benefits it is true to say grew at a rate of 69 percent and 84 percent respectively under the National Government. That is not to mention the unemployment rate which climbed by 11 percent. In the latest year to September the growth rate of the sickness benefit fell from 8 percent to 4 percent. We are getting on top of a trend that was clearly out of control under National.