Hon Carmel Sepuloni

The Government is launching a new employment initiative to get local people into work on transport projects being built across the country.

The Government is standing up additional support to help people and whānau who have to self-isolate access the services they need as Omicron cases start to ramp up and more New Zealanders are affected by the virus.

Over 10,000 Māori jobseekers have been supported into mahi across the Government’s employment programmes, with 967 more rangatahi expected to be supported into employment, education or training with the latest tranche of He Poutama Rangatahi funding.

ngā mātāpono o Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ko te tautoko kia tokomaha ake a ngāi Māori e uru ana ki ngā toronga mahi, ki ngā kuratini ako hoki i roto i ēnei wā whakatikatika i te KOWHEORI-19, koinei ētahi o ngā kaupapa kei te iho o te Te Mahere Whai Mahi Māori hou a te kāwanatanga e ai ki tā te pānuitanga a Carmel Sepuloni, te Minita Whakahiato Ora, Whai Mahi hoki i tēnei rā.

Growing the Māori and wider economy, giving effect to Te Tiriti principles and supporting more Māori into employment, education and training as we secure the recovery from COVID-19 are all at the heart of the Government’s new Māori Employment Action Plan.

Increased income limits for Hardship Support through the Ministry of Social Development have been extended until 30 June.

Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level on record as the hard work of business and workers along with the Government’s actions to support the economy during the Delta outbreak resulted in more people in work and higher wages.

Following the Government’s shift to the Red traffic light setting and ongoing pressures on the arts and culture sector, the Government is moving swiftly to cushion the blow, providing further support for the sector, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announced today.

The Families Package continues to deliver better outcomes and lift incomes for low- and middle-income whānau across the motu, with more than half of families being supported by the package, including over two thirds of all Māori and Pacific whānau with children, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

The Government’s strong focus on supporting more people into work is reflected in benefit figures released today which show a year-on-year fall of around 21,300 people receiving a main benefit in the December 2021 quarter, Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni said.

The Government’s Arts and Culture COVID Recovery Programme shows the first full year of funding (to 30 June 2021) has helped protect the cultural sector from the worst early impacts of COVID-19, an impacts report has shown.

“Tens of thousands of New Zealanders stand to benefit from the Bill which reverses changes made to ACC legislation by the previous Government and extends cover for women who suffer from injuries while giving birth,” ACC Minister Carmel Sepuloni said.

Minister for ACC Carmel Sepuloni has today announced new levy rates for ACC which will see the average Work levy decrease, the average Motor Vehicle levy held and a small increase to the Earners levy.

The government has launched a review of the way it funds parts of the film and television industry to ensure the screen sector has a more secure long-term future.

The Government joins the disabled community of Aotearoa New Zealand in marking and celebrating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Minister for Disabilty Issues Carmel Sepuloni said.

A new support package will help revive economic, social and cultural activities in our largest city over summer, and ensure those in hardship also get relief.

Vaccinated New Zealanders can look forward to Kiwi summer events with confidence, while artists and crew will have more certainty, following the launch of details of the Arts and Culture Event Support Scheme, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announced today.

Minister for Social Development and Employment Carmel Sepuloni has announced $204.1m will be made available to support individuals and whānau who contract COVID-19 and need to isolate at home.

Efforts to support disabled peoples’ vaccinations go from strength-to-strength with the launch of a new text service, Minister for Disability Issues Carmel Sepuloni announced today.

As we transition into a new way of managing COVID and take steps towards giving vaccinated New Zealanders more freedoms to enjoy Aotearoa’s arts and culture, 19 Pasifika festivals across the motu are receiving funding through the Pasifika Festivals Initiative, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni said.

The Government has today introduced key legislation intended to strengthen oversight of Oranga Tamariki.

In a suite of improvements to family support from 1 April 2022 the Government is increasing the incomes of 346,000 families by an average of $20 a week; lifting an estimated 6000 more children out of poverty.

Unemployment has fallen to its lowest level on record and matching where it was in December 2007, as the Government’s actions to support the economy during the pandemic resulted in higher wages and more people in work.