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Opportunity and security: keys to a successful society
Social services
Making work pay: $131 million over four years to assist beneficiaries from welfare to work.
$15 million over four years to support community and voluntary organisations.
$23 million over four years to build stronger families.
Pre-releases
$2.34 million over four years in extra support for child caregivers.
Superannuation:
A $1.2 billion payment into the New Zealand Superannuation Fund to provide security in retirement.
Government sets I April, 2004 timetable for a more attractive tax treatment of employment-based superannuation.
Health
The government last year announced a $3.2 billion package over three years for health, and an increase in the GMS subsidy for children under six. Budget 2002 confirms these decisions. New initiatives are:
- $200 million over five years, $149 million over three years, for the meningococcal vaccine strategy.
- $15 million a year from 2003-04 to subsidise sewage schemes for small communities.
- $2.04 billion over the next four years capital programme for hospitals.
Sport:
$12 million in 2002-03 for Sport and Recreation New Zealand: $4 million was allocated, a further $5 million has been brought forward and the budget provides $3 million to off-set a drop in support from the Lottery Grants Board.
$1.5 million refugee resettlement package.
Pre-releases:
Housing
Nearly $187 million in extra funding for housing low income people and those at risk.
- $71.99 million for an extra 360 state houses in the next four years;
- A $53.34 million boost to the government's plans to tackle substandard housing in Northland, East Coast and the Eastern Bay of Plenty;
- $29.98 million more for the "Healthy Housing" Programme, to modernise and renovate houses to reduce overcrowding and disease;
- $20.53 million to house former residents of Braemar Hospital and Kimberley Centre; and
- An extra $11 million for community housing used by groups such Women's Refuge and disability service providers.
Vocational services for people with disabilities
$27.31 million increase over four years to assist people with disabilities to find employment.
$17.28 million over four years to put the Job Support programme for people with disabilities on to a permanent basis and to provide support for around 200 school leavers with very high and complex needs.
Youth Affairs
$450,000 over three years through Vote: Youth Affairs to establish a Ministerial Advisory Group on Drug Education.
Health
$60,000 over four years to build up a database on complementary and alternative medicines.
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