Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed the latest benefit valuation, which confirms long-term welfare dependence is reducing, particularly among sole parents.

“Welfare reform and the hard work of Work and Income staff has had a significant impact in helping more people into work while also saving taxpayers money,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Our focus on providing targeted support and more intensive case management for those most at risk of welfare dependence has helped reduce the liability by $1.7 billion. 

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has welcomed today’s release of the independent review into MSD’s individual client level data IT system.

“It’s vital clients and providers have confidence that their information is appropriately protected,” says Mrs Tolley.

“While no privacy breach of any personal data occurred, I am extremely disappointed that the report highlights a number of areas of concern.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says new research confirms the need for wrap around support for at-risk children and young people to help them lead successful lives as adults.

“We know that children who experience adversity are more likely to have poor education and employment outcomes, that’s why the Government is focused on ensuring they receive the support they need,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Research published today shows only 44 per cent of at-risk children studied were projected to have positive education and employment outcomes.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Government will be undertaking a competitive tender process for a national helpline for New Zealanders affected by sexual violence, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

“The Government is committed to building a more effective integrated system to ensure victims of sexual violence receive the support and services they need,” says Ms Adams.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says Jobseeker Support clients with a cancer diagnosis no longer need to provide multiple medical certificates.

“I asked MSD to work with the Cancer Society to help simplify the process for clients with a cancer diagnosis,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Previously clients had to provide multiple medical certificates to defer work obligations which was burdensome at an already stressful and difficult time.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Earthquake Commission (EQC) will lead the clean-up of flood-damaged properties in Edgecumbe, say Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission Gerry Brownlee and Lead Minister for Edgecumbe Anne Tolley.

“I’ve authorised EQC to clean-up all affected properties in the township, including for those homeowners who do not have insurance,” Mr Brownlee says.

“Having the Government pick up the tab for cleaning up Edgecumbe means work can get underway while cost sharing arrangements are finalised with the Whakatane District Council.

Anne Tolley Gerry Brownlee Social Development Earthquake Commission
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people receiving a main benefit has continued to fall, with the proportion of the population on a main benefit (9.6 per cent) the lowest it’s been in a March quarter since 1997.

“At the end of the quarter there were 278,236 people on a main benefit, a decrease of 1,655 (0.6 per cent) compared to last year,” says Mrs Tolley.

“Those receiving Sole Parent Support had the largest drop in the last 12 months, falling by 4,175 (6.3 per cent).

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Inland Revenue will waive use of money interest on late tax payments when flooding has prevented people from paying on time, say Lead Minister for Edgecumbe Anne Tolley and Revenue Minister Judith Collins.

“In the aftermath of the Edgecumbe and Bay of Plenty floods businesses in affected areas have enough to deal with without having to worry about their tax obligations at the same time,” Mrs Tolley says.

Anne Tolley Judith Collins Social Development Revenue
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An extra $700,000 will be available to further support businesses affected by the flooding in Edgecumbe and the Bay of Plenty, say Minister for Economic Development Simon Bridges and Lead Minister for Edgecumbe Anne Tolley.

“It’s going to be some time before things get back to normal after the flooding which devastated Edgecumbe and the Bay of Plenty,” says Mr Bridges.

Simon Bridges Anne Tolley Economic Development Social Development
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The Government is activating a Temporary Accommodation Service to assist Edgecumbe residents hit by the recent floods, Lead Minister for Edgecumbe, Anne Tolley and Building and Construction Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“This service is to help people displaced when the Rangitāiki River broke its banks and flooded the town of Edgecumbe," says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Nick Smith Building and Construction Social Development
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Minister for Women Paula Bennett and Minister for Social Development Anne Tolley have announced the Government is providing $50,000 over the next year to assist KidsCan supply schools with sanitary products.

“This funding will provide sanitary products to the schools KidsCan supports. It’s expected that over 16,500 packs will be supplied to around 2,000 girls,” says Mrs Bennett.

Anne Tolley Paula Bennett Women Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has announced details of the independent review into MSD’s individual client level data IT system.

“It’s important clients and providers have confidence that their information is protected and that the Government has a robust IT system,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I have now received a briefing from MSD on what led to last week’s technical issue with the portal.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Government has today classified the flooding from ex-Cyclone Debbie in the Bay of Plenty as a medium-scale adverse event.

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy were in the Bay of Plenty today meeting with primary industry businesses.

“The classification of a medium-scale event makes extra recovery assistance measures available including recovery coordination, increased support through Enhanced Task Force Green teams and Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust, as well as tax flexibility,” says Mrs Tolley.

Nathan Guy Anne Tolley Social Development Primary Industries
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says a new IT solution will be developed for the collection of individual client level data from NGOs as the current system is not up to standard.

“Last night I was advised by MSD about a technical issue with the portal where providers submit individual client level data,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says over 28,000 students in more than 900 schools are receiving a healthy start to the day through the KickStart Breakfast programme.                                                                    &nbsp

Anne Tolley Social Development
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The Integrated Safety Response (ISR) pilot has helped over 24,000 people through the development of more than 8,000 family safety plans, say Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley.

The ISR pilot involves core agencies and NGOs teaming up to ensure that families experiencing violence get the right support to stay safe. It has been running in Christchurch since July 2016 and in Waikato since October 2016.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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A national summit on family violence will be hosted by Justice Minister Amy Adams and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley in Wellington on June 7.

“We know that family violence is a significant and complex issue in New Zealand, with Police responding to an incident every five minutes. That’s why I’ve made helping to reduce family violence my core priority,” says Ms Adams.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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Families grappling with violence will be able to avoid contentious meetings during children handovers thanks to a new pilot launched by the Government.

“In the absence of funded supervised hand-over services, some victims of family violence risk continued exposure to violent and abusive behaviour as they facilitate their children’s contact with an ex-partner,” says Ms Adams.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley today announced new funding of $1.8 million over three years to grow the skills and capability of Tairāwhiti’s regional labour force, including youth.

Mrs Tolley says the significant investment in the labour force is a key element in the Government’s Tairāwhiti Economic Action Plan, announced today by Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Minister for Economic Development Simon Bridges and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley have today announced a final extension to the support package for businesses affected by the Kaikōura earthquake. 

The Government approved $17.5 million dollars to support businesses in Kaikōura, Hurunui, Marlborough and Wellington post-earthquake.  To date businesses have accessed almost $14.9 million of that fund. 

Simon Bridges Anne Tolley Economic Development Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says that the number of teen mums requiring a benefit has fallen significantly since 2009, alongside increased government support to help them and their families lead independent and successful lives.

There were 57 per cent fewer young mums on main benefits at the end of 2016 compared to 2009, down from 4,263 to 1,836.

Teen parents have some of the highest lifetime costs of any group on welfare, going on to spend more than 17 years on benefits.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley has asked MSD to carry out further research into the outcomes for people who come off benefit, following the release of a report on the issue from Superu, which analysed pre-welfare reform data.

“Superu looked at historic data from 2010 and 2011, and the report being released today is useful as it provides important baselines for the work which is to be carried out by MSD on clients who moved off benefit following the 2013 welfare reforms,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development
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More frontline services and extra places in perpetrator programmes are on the way for the multi-agency Integrated Safety Response pilot, following an additional injection of funding, Ministers have announced.

An extra $680,000 will allow the Christchurch ISR pilot to continue its work to combat family and sexual violence.

“The ISR pilot takes a whole-of-family approach to stop family violence by identifying risks and intervening earlier,” Ms Adams says.

Anne Tolley Amy Adams Social Development Justice
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Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the number of people receiving a benefit is continuing to decline year on year, with sole parents driving the biggest reduction in numbers.

“The number of people receiving a main benefit has fallen by 4,339 or 1.4 per cent in the last 12 months. This puts the proportion of the population (10.3 per cent) receiving a main benefit at the lowest it’s been in a December quarter since before the Global Financial Crisis,” says Mrs Tolley.

Anne Tolley Social Development