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The Minister for Social Development and Employment, Paula Bennett and the Minister for Disability Issues, Tariana Turia, today announced the new Disability Innovation Fund making $500,000 available for innovative ways of getting disabled people into work or retaining them in work.

“A priority for me is to get people into work. This fund supports disabled people into work and also supports employers to retain disabled workers,” said Minister Bennett.

Kia orana! Ni sa bula vanaka. Talofa lava, fakaalofa lahi atu. Taloha ni! Talofa, malo e lelei.

Tēnā koutou, otirā tātau me ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Huri atu te pō, nau mai te ao

I want to firstly acknowledge Pastor Teremoana Tauira and the Pacific Ministers Forum for blessing us with a strong foundation for us all to be here today.

This is such an exciting moment in your journey, and I am so proud to have been invited along to launch the Maori and Pasifika collective, Waka e Tasi.

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Tariana Turia, has welcomed Mr Richard Wood as the new Chair of the Taskforce for Action on Violence within Families.

Mr Wood replaces outgoing Chair Peter Hughes, the former Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development.

Mrs Turia said Mr Wood has been a very active member of the Taskforce since its establishment in 2005.

“He has an excellent knowledge of the Taskforce’s aims, past achievements and the challenges ahead”.

Friday 16 September 2011; 10am

I couldn’t be prouder to be here today.

This is an historic day – a powerful moment in our shared histories when a statement is being made about the state of our lives.

This is a day when together  - Te Kawerau a Maki, Ngati Whatua and Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi have stood tall. 

Twenty five years ago Te Whakaruruhau was established as the first Maori Women’s Refuge in Aotearoa.  

Ever since those early days, Te Whakaruruhau has been known as breaking new ground, providing the leadership and the inspiration for working with whanau in a way which would best result in wellness and wellbeing.

And so I am absolutely delighted, having shared the journey over the years, to now be here with you all, celebrating the opening of your new safe-house.

I have to say, I have a special fondness for Whakaruruhau. 

Whoever it was that coined the phrase, ‘A good man is hard to find’ clearly had not met Gregory Fortuin and Kim Workman.

Today we are here to celebrate two very good men – men who have lived their lives in a way which is inspirational to us all.

Last night I released a pack of resources around whanau wellbeing including a set on becoming a Dad.   The key messages we were promoting are that becoming a father is easy, being a Dad isn’t.  

A good dad is someone who speaks openly and honestly with compassion. 

One of the greatest sources of celebration, of unity, of togetherness that we share, as peoples of Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, is the gift of song.

And so when I think of the concept of ‘E Tu’ to stand tall, I am inevitably drawn to the words of a waiata that our children are brought up on

E tu kahikatea , hei whakapae ururoa
Awhi mai awhi atu, tatou, tatou e.

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Tariana Turia has announced new resource materials to raise awareness about and address family violence been developed for Maori and Pasefika communities.

“These materials will reinforce activities already underway at the local level”, Minister Turia said.   “Local communities are leading the way in providing clear, consistent messages about building strong families and preventing and addressing family violence. These resources will help support that work”. 

Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, Hon Tariana Turia, says good progress is being made to implement the New Zealand Carers' Strategy and Five Year Action Plan.

“Carers are doing New Zealand a great service in supporting the person they care for in their daily life and enabling them to stay closely connected to their family and community. 

Our nation is indeed fortunate that despite the presssure they are under,  carers demonstrate such enduring commitment and resilience in supporting others”.

Disabilities Minister Tariana Turia is bemused by comments made from Labour’s Carmel Sepuloni following the social services select committee hearing into Vote Social Development.

“From the negative tone of her release, I wondered if Ms Sepuloni had attended a completely different meeting” said Mrs Turia.    “The focus of my presentation was the appropriation for promoting positive outcomes for disabled persons”.

Community organisations directly responding to the needs of families and whānau experiencing family violence will receive most of the funding under the Family Centred Services Fund announced by Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, Tariana Turia today.

Minster Turia said that in the 2011/2012 year, over $9.250 million will go to frontline services directly working with families and whānau.  This includes services funded under the previous Family Violence Whanau Ora Fund.    

If you were to explain the concept of ‘care’ to someone who had English as a second language, it would no doubt create confusion.

It could imply the practice of care as a noun – such as healthcare, or childcare.

It might denote that sense of responsibility associated with the duty of care – like a child in the care of the state; or in your care.

Or it might be care as in the verb to care, to look after, to be concerned about someone’s wellbeing.

The Government has decided to reorganise a portion of its current funding for family violence into five initiatives to strengthen support for families.

Making the announcement today, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, Tariana Turia, said $11.035 million of the $62.4 million Government currently invests each year in contracted family violence services will be re-channelled into the following five initiatives:

Tariana Turia says she will miss working with Peter Hughes – the chief executive of the Ministry of Social Development and Employment who will be departing the position soon.

I firstly acknowledge Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau – those iwi and hapu who have spiritual, ancestral, cultural, customary and historical interests within Tāmaki Makaurau.

I think particularly of the peoples associated to Ngati Whatua, Te Kawerau ā Maki; Ngāti Te Ata; Ngāti Tamaoho; Te Ākitai; Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki; Ngāti Pāoa; Ngāti Maru; Ngāti Whanaunga; and Ngāti Tamaterā.

It is only fitting that when we celebrate the work of Family Start Manukau, we celebrate Dame June Jackson – and we celebrate with her the rich diversity of the community embraced within your service.

Today is a day to recognise the hard work, inspiration and commitment of so many people who have made Family Start Manukau what it is today.

In particular I want to acknowledge the three founding organisations who have invested so much in this group– Te Hononga o Tamaki me Hoturoa PHO; Ta Pasefika Health Care Trust; and the Plunket Society.

I am really pleased to be here, at this important stakeholder event; to hear at first hand, the enterprises and employment experiences that distinguish Whanganui, Taranaki, the Rangitikei and the K

The Government has today officially responded to the Report of the Taskforce for Action on Sexual Violence.

Last year, at the festival of world music and Dance, WOMAD, local Taranaki health providers, Manaaki Oranga in collaboration with local Taranaki weavers, Maata Wharehoka and Edith Tito, showcased t

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has announced an employment assistance package for Pacific job seekers, including a million dollars for targeted work programmes.

Three weeks ago I was with a group of women who had come together to make change happen in their lives. 

Talofa lava, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Kia Orana, Taloha Ni, Malo e Lelei, Fakalofa lahi atu, tena koutou and warm Pacific greetings.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett joins Associate Minister Tariana Turia in announcing the expansion of Community Max to four targeted areas.

The goal of Whanau Ora is very clear: transformation.

But of course, transformation is not something that one person can do for somebody else.