3. Question No. 3—Social Development and EmploymentANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 3—Social Development and Employment3. ANAHILA KANONGATA'A-SUISUIKI (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What announcements has she made about supporting people into employment?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): Recently I announced that the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) role will expand to support non-beneficiaries into employment education or training. As part of this we are also doubling down on our focus to reduce barriers to work for those at risk of long-term benefit receipt by ensuring they are a priority cohort for determining investment in service provision. These were issues identified by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group and the Productivity Commission. They called on us to strengthen and expand these services and we agreed to this as part of the welfare overhaul. This shift underlines our Government's efforts to support people into jobs as well as progress the welfare overhaul.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: What work does this announcement build on?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: In response to COVID we invested funding for MSD to support a wider group of New Zealanders into employment including supporting those affected by COVID to return to work quickly. If we take Flexi-wage for example over 5000 people who may have gone on to benefit went into a Flexi-wage programme. We've also seen success in our targeting so far particularly for longer-term beneficiaries with 35700 people who had been receiving a main benefit for longer than a year moving into work over the previous 12 months. With record numbers of people moving off benefit and into work and a promising pipeline of people participating across all our employment education and training services it's clear the expansion has proven its worth.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: Why is it important to focus on both cohorts not one or the other?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: It shouldn't be a case of one or the other. We need to continue to focus on those on benefit and the support they need to get into employment. What's been missing up until now has been the focus at the preventative end where you support people into employment education or training before they need to consider coming on to benefit. We believe we need to do both and our focus remains on those disadvantaged by the labour market.Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: How does this announcement prepare New Zealand in the long run?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: We have to be ready to tackle whatever comes our way which is why we're thinking ahead—this includes making sure we've got the systems in place to respond whilst accelerating efforts to supporting people whether you're a non-beneficiary or job seeker into employment education or training. The investment now will pay dividends in the long run and I'm pleased that Frank Koloi of The Fono also agrees with this sentiment. He said If we invest two to three years in these young people they'll be much better off—not just today but in the future."Anahila Kanongata'a-Suisuiki: What feedback has she seen on this announcement?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I was pleased to read that the Western Bay of Plenty's economic development agency Priority One's workforce and policy general manager Greg Simmonds welcomed the broadening of scope. He said "The success of Priority One's Ara Rau skills and employment hub which is supported by He Poutama Rangatahi funding is evidence that a proactive community-centric approach is required to support the thousands of New Zealanders at risk of longer-term disengagement from our labour market at a time when industry is crying out for people.""