2. Question No. 2—Social Development and EmploymentDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) (remote) to the Minister for Social Development and EmploymentQuestion No. 2—Social Development and Employment2. DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) (remote) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she agree with the Child Poverty Action Group who said in October 2021 in the face of abundant evidence that the stop-gap measures initiated in the first 2020 lockdown for low-income families were nowhere near enough this year unbelievably the Government has done even less"; if not why not?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development and Employment): No I don't agree with the statement. This Government has made once-in-a-generation increases to incomes for those on a benefit and is continuing to lift incomes for New Zealand families. Our 1 April changes benefited over 1.4 million New Zealanders. However supporting low-income families is about more than just income support which is why the Government has a wide range of initiatives that will benefit families including building more social housing free doctors' visits lunches in schools and free period products. On top of that as part of our COVID response we have set up our care in the community model in order to effectively meet the needs of people and whānau while in self-isolation. This is a Government that has successfully supported New Zealand families through a global pandemic with measures like the wage subsidy main benefit increases and lifting the minimum wage. But as I've always said we recognise we have more to do.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: What is she doing to ensure food security for whānau as we come into winter given that vegetable prices increased 19 percent in the year to September 2021 and food box usage more than doubled and that we know the situation will now be much worse with even higher inflation?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The support for food security in New Zealand stretches back before we experienced the inflationary increases that we're experiencing at the moment. I think back to Budget 2020 when we put $32 million towards our food secure network the first time that there'd been that level of investment. And with regard to supporting families to be able to self-isolate safely we've also invested millions of dollars into our care in communities programme across the country. If we look at our food security budget of the about $30.1 million in total funding that's only a portion of the care in community funding. But food security is front of mind for us and we've absolutely acted in a myriad of ways over the course of our time in Government.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Does she stand by the Government's decision last year to not bring in further lockdown-related benefit increases or double the winter energy payment and will she take a different approach this year and at least double the winter energy payment?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The benefit increases that we have seen are a once-in-a-generation increase. They reverse the cuts that were made back in 1991. They do respond to the Welfare Expert Advisory Group's recommendations with regard to increases to benefits. I do recognise that it was two years on but we went above and beyond for families that have children. On top of that we didn't just increase benefits. On 1 April that member would have seen that we increased the family tax credit we increased the minimum wage to $21.20 and on top of that we see a reasonably significant increase for superannuitants as well. These are the families that needed to have targeted assistance during this time. And so yes we stand by our decisions as a Government.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Will she ensure that all low-income whānau are eligible for Working for Families payments and if not why not?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: There's criteria in place with regard to Working for Families. I do encourage all whānau to check that they are accessing what they are eligible for with regard to Working for Families but also with respect to supplementary supports through the Ministry of Social Development I'm always concerned that there's potentially families out there that are not accessing supports like accommodation supplement or child-care assistance. We do have an eligibility calculator on the website now so whānau can check for themselves what they might be eligible for. We want to support any whānau that is experiencing hardship at this time. With regard to further changes to Working for Families we have said publicly there is a review of Working for Families under way but that didn't stop us from increasing the family tax credits on 1 April.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Does she accept the statement of Dr Renee Liang that "The populations most affected by COVID and most likely to die from it are those living under socio-economic strain and indigenous populations." and therefore agree that means Government has a responsibility to urgently lift incomes and reduce costs for low-income whānau such as through benefit increases tax relief and much quicker increases in the minimum wage?DEPUTY SPEAKER: In so far as the Minister has responsibility for that.Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: That was a very long quote. For the main part yes I do agree. We do recognise that low socio-economic whānau often have that intersection with regard to a range of other population groups which means that often they are more at risk with regard to things like COVID. With respect to the actual initiatives that have been mentioned we have done many of those things if not all of them. We have lifted incomes for beneficiaries; also for low-income workers with respect to the minimum wage; also put more money into the pockets of students and superannuitants and those are the targeted groups I believe that member was referring to and they have absolutely been front of mind for us alongside—can I just add disabled people here in New Zealand. They have been absolutely front of mind for us with regard to every action we have taken in response to the pandemic."