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The Government’s welfare fraud reforms are working to make sure the benefit system is there for those who need it, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

With the seven key initiatives in the package now all underway or in force, Mr Borrows today released figures showing the programme had already recouped or saved over $47 million and stopped thousands of illegitimate or fraudulent benefits.

The effect on the lifetime liability of current beneficiaries is estimated at a reduction of between $119 and $134 million as of March 2014.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has welcomed the expansion of supported bail for young offenders as an important step to reducing reoffending.

The latest supported bail expansion increases the total places to 305 placements, available almost anywhere in New Zealand, up from 175 in 2006.

“Supported bail is an important tool for managing lower level young offenders in a way that is better for them and better for the community,” says Mr Borrows.

Efforts to tackle youth offending are building momentum as communities and government agencies embrace the Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP).

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows today praised the progress made during the first eight months of YCAP, the Government’s 10-year plan to reduce crime by children and young people, and help those who offend to turn their lives around.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has welcomed the start of new powers to hold both parties to relationship welfare fraud to account.

From today the amendments in the Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Act 2014 come into force, creating a new offence for partners who are involved in relationship welfare fraud.

A new, multi-agency assessment centre for young people held in custody because of their offending will ensure the best possible response to young offenders, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

“We have no choice but to remove some young people from the community due to their offending, but it can only ever be a last resort,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has welcomed the passage of a Bill to hold partners complicit in welfare fraud to account, 102 votes to 17.

The Social Security (Fraud Measures and Debt Recovery) Amendment Bill changes the Social Security Act 1964, making spouses and partners of beneficiaries, as well as beneficiaries, accountable for welfare fraud or dishonest overpayments.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has today congratulated StudyLink staff on a highly successful Student Allowance and Loan peak season.

“StudyLink faces an incredibly challenging workload, with more than 300,000 applications for financial support to process in only a few months,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has congratulated today’s graduates from the latest Military Style Activity Camp (MAC Camp) for young offenders.

“MAC Camps take young people with some of the worst criminal histories, who are on their last chance,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows says Labour needs to be clear on where they stand on welfare fraud.

“Yesterday morning David Cunliffe said he would scrap our legislation to hold partners complicit in welfare fraud to account, but later in the day Labour supported it,” says Mr Borrows.

“I was pleased to have such broad support from across the Parliament, including the Labour Party, for our bill.

A bill to help hold partners complicit in welfare fraud to account has passed its second reading in Parliament today.

“While the overwhelming majority of people receiving welfare support are honest and follow the rules, a tiny minority think they can get away with ripping off the taxpayer, and we’re going to hold them to account,” says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows is urging community groups with innovative ideas to tackle youth crime in their area to apply now for the Youth Crime Action Plan’s innovation fund.

The new fund, part of the Government’s Youth Crime Action Plan, will provide grants to groups and organisations with new ideas for reducing youth crime.  Applications for the first round of funding close on Friday 14 February.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows says students who have yet to apply for their 2014 Student Loan or Allowance now risk not getting their payments sorted by their study start date.

Mr Borrows says StudyLink has worked hard to make sure students are aware of the consequences of leaving things to the last minute.

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows today announced the expansion of education services in youth justice residences, to provide on-going education over the summer break.

Up until now, schools at residences followed the standard term breaks of any other school. Now, there will be structured educational programmes except for two weeks over Christmas.

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows today announced the opening of applications to a new Government initiative that will make funding available for fresh new approaches to reducing offending by young people.

The new fund, part of the Government’s Youth Crime Action Plan, will provide grants to groups and organisations with innovative ideas for reducing youth crime.

“The way we work with communities on youth justice is a key part of the Action Plan,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows is urging students to apply for their 2014 Student Loan and Allowance by Monday 16 December.

“This year StudyLink has been very clear that the best way for students to make sure their financial support is sorted when they start studying is by applying by December 16,” says Mr Borrows.

More than 5300 illegitimate benefits have now been stopped by enhanced information sharing between Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

These benefits were costing the taxpayer at least $56 million per year.

“While the vast majority of beneficiaries do the right thing and let us know about their circumstances it is disappointing to see that some people continue to break the law and take money they’re not entitled to,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Justice Minister Chester Borrows today released the Youth Crime Action Plan, which aims to reduce offending by children and young people over the next ten years.

“New Zealand’s youth justice system is one of the best in the world, but we can’t rest on our laurels,” says Mr Borrows.

“This plan brings together the gains we’ve made in youth justice recently, through initiatives like our Fresh Start reforms, Policing Excellence and the Children’s Action Plan, and looks at the gaps, challenges and opportunities that remain.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has welcomed the start of new measures to prevent beneficiaries who have previously ripped off Work and Income from cheating the system again.

“We know the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries are honest and follow the rules,” says Mr Borrows.

“Yet those very few who choose to defraud the system place a very real cost on a system which should be there to support our most vulnerable citizens.”

Legislation to ensure that both parties in relationship welfare fraud are held to account passed its first reading in Parliament today.

“We know the overwhelming majority of beneficiaries are honest and follow the rules,” says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

“Yet those very few who chose to defraud the system place a very real cost on a system which should be there to support our most vulnerable citizens.”

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows has slammed opposition claims that welfare fraudsters are treated more severely than tax fraudsters.

“The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has a duty to take care with taxpayer money. When they find evidence someone has fraudulently taken money they are not entitled to, they will prosecute, and make no apologies for that,” says Mr Borrows.

Enhanced information sharing between Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has identified and stopped 3139 illegitimate benefits in just six months, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

“While it is always disappointing to see some people are willing to break the law and take money they’re not entitled to, it happens, and we have a responsibility to the taxpayer to stop it,” says Mr Borrows.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows today congratulated Student Job Search on 30 years of helping students find work.

He will tonight host university leaders, student union representatives, Student Job Search staff and employers at a Beehive function celebrating the milestone.

“Student Job Search provides an important service connecting students to part-time and holiday work during their studies,” says Mr Borrows.

Expanded information sharing between Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has already resulted in 525 benefits being cancelled, and will result in savings to the Crown, says Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows.

It is the second major success in a week from the Government’s new welfare fraud measures. On Thursday two people were arrested in relation to a suspected $375,000 welfare scam, resulting from the first interagency welfare fraud investigation in co-operation with Police.

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows today congratulated Police and the Ministry of Social Development on a joint investigation which has uncovered a sizeable welfare payment fraud out of South Auckland.

As part of the government’s new interagency fraud group, the Welfare Fraud Collaborative Action Programme, MSD and Police worked together on a case involving a bogus dental practice and hundreds of thousands of welfare dollars.