Foreword - Minister for Social Development and Employment
Healthy confident children, strong resilient families, and inclusive engaged communities are the building blocks of a vibrant and prosperous nation. The Government has recognised this in making a commitment to ongoing social investment under our priority theme of families – young and old.
The social investment policies we have implemented since taking office are building an environment of opportunity for all New Zealanders. The number of people on Unemployment Benefit numbers has fallen by over 80 per cent in the last seven years, from a high of 161,000 in 1999 to fewer than 30,000 people today.
Since 2001, an estimated 130,000 children have been lifted out of poverty as a result of increasing employment, decreasing unemployment, the income-related rents policy and Working for Families. With the full implementation of Working for Families it is estimated that these reductions in child poverty will move New Zealand from its 2001 ranking of 18th out of 24 countries into the top half of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and quite possibly into the top five, alongside Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden.
Older people are enjoying an improved level of income and support through increased investment in New Zealand Superannuation, while communities are being strengthened through increased investment in local services and community development initiatives.
Positive results like these are due in large part to the hard work of the Ministry of Social Development. The merger last year of the Ministry with Child, Youth and Family, will strengthen such positive outcomes. We are already seeing the benefits of a more connected policy and service delivery in the areas of early intervention and family violence. Numbers of unallocated Child Youth and Family cases have fallen dramatically and there is a renewed focus on dedicated youth offender teams and high quality care and protection social work.
The Ministry has outlined a programme of action in this document that will continue to build on the gains already achieved. Its broad focus of social investment both across the life-span, and across a wide range of communities, enables the Ministry to make a significant contribution to the social and economic well-being of millions of New Zealanders. The organisation has a unique role in providing security and safety for people at their most vulnerable, a role that is held in high regard by this Government.
I look forward to working with the Ministry on the initiatives outlined in its Statement and confirm that information it contains is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the Government.
Hon David Benson-Pope
Minister for Social Development and Employment
