Hon Louise Upston

Up to 70,000 job seekers are to receive a new, more comprehensive needs assessment of the challenges holding them back from finding work and a personalised job plan to help overcome them.

Growing the amount of philanthropic giving across New Zealand is the aim of the Twelve Days of Giving campaign launched today alongside Philanthropy New Zealand, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says.

Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says.

Legislation to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system has passed its first reading in Parliament.

A new report that forecasts young people on benefits will spend an average of 20 more years relying on welfare underscores the need for the Government’s reforms.

The Government’s relentless focus on welfare that works and holding job seekers accountable through sanctions saw a year-on-year increase in the number of people moving from benefits into work in the September quarter.

Data from the first full calendar month of the Government’s welfare traffic light system shows more beneficiaries are doing what is required of them.

Investment in Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise critical industries and targeted occupations that are essential to addressing New Zealand’s skills shortages and rebuilding the economy, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston say.

The Government is investing $16.8 million over the next four years to extend the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) Longitudinal Study.

The Government will be cracking down on people who misuse car parks for disabled people, ensuring towage fees do not leave tow-truck operators out of pocket, and adjusting parking fines for inflation.

Supporting more people into work so they can lead happier, healthier, and more productive lives is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Employment Action Plan. 

New targets will see a greater proportion of MSD’s spending on employment programmes go towards supporting people on Jobseeker benefits, rather than non-beneficiaries.

The Government has finalised a framework that will strengthen the oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system by ensuring the independence of the children’s monitor and creating a stand-alone Children’s Commissioner.

Immediate action will be taken to stabilise the disability support system after an independent review found the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha was ‘ill-prepared’ to deliver these services when it was established in 2022.

A comprehensive package of reforms to the benefit system unveiled today will shift more people off Jobseeker Support into employment and introduce tougher consequences for those who repeatedly do not meet their benefit obligations.

A significant investment by the coalition Government in young job seekers will see an extra 2100 placed into community-led programmes that provide job coaches and other support to give them a better future.

The coalition Government is providing extra support for job seekers to ensure as many Kiwis as possible are in work or preparing for work.

Seven projects have received government funding totalling nearly $250,000 to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL).

A new over-the-phone employment case management service will see thousands more job seekers under the age of 25 supported to find work, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston has announced.

Civil Defence payments are now available for people affected by the severe weather in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti to help cover some emergency costs.

The coalition Government is providing more financial support to drought-stricken farmers and growers in many parts of the country to help with essential living costs.

A new requirement for people on Jobseeker Support benefits to meet with MSD after six months to assess how their job search is going gets underway today.

Women’s representation on public sector boards and committees has reached 50 per cent or above for the fourth consecutive year, with women holding 53.9 per cent of public sector board roles.

The coalition Government is taking action to reduce the gender pay gap in New Zealand through the development of a voluntary calculation tool.