22 May 2015
Pacific peoples benefit from Budget 2015
Pacific peoples will benefit from Budget 2015 through our government’s focus on supporting families and reducing
hardship, Pacific Peoples Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.
At the heart of Budget 2015 is a $790 million package to help children in our poorest households.
“The package targets 160,000 of our lowest-income families, those earning less than $36,360 a year. It strikes a balance
between helping families who have fallen behind other households while ensuring there remains a strong incentive to move
from welfare to work,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
“National is increasing benefits for families with children by $25 a week. This is the first increase in benefit rates
beyond inflation since 1972. We’re also increasing Working For Families payments to low-income families of $12.50 a week
in most cases.”
The package includes greater work obligations for sole parents on a benefit and more childcare support for low-income
families to help parents into work, education or training.
The Budget delivers $8.396 million for the Pacific Peoples portfolio. This will ensure the Ministry of Pacific Island
Affairs can continue working to achieve its outcome of more successful Pacific peoples.
Figures for the quarter to March show there are now 123,300 Pacific peoples employed, up 7100 on the last quarter and up
17,500 on this time last year. This is the most Pacific peoples employed since records began.
“We want this trend to continue. Employment is the key to improving the lives of families,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
Pacific peoples will also benefit directly from this government’s investment in other critical areas including health,
education, housing and Whānau Ora.
The additional $1.7 billion announced yesterday for public health services over the next four years includes $12.4
million to extend the Waitemata DHB bowel cancer screening pilot and $76.1 million to help hospices expand palliative
care services.
In education, there will be 300 extra trades academies places to support students to achieve NCEA Level 2 and $8.4
million to increase Māori and Pacific trades training, up to 500 new learner places per year from 2016.
Pacific peoples will benefit from our government’s commitment to increase the housing stock and help families get into
healthy and safe homes. This includes housing development on Crown-owned land, $3.6 million to support the Homestart
programme and $30.2 million for rent top-ups for some people.
Pacific health, education and social services provider The Fono, which specifically targets Pacific families under the
Whānau Ora banner, will benefit from the $49.8 million boost to Whānau Ora over the next four years. The Fono provides
affordable services including medical, dental, pharmacy, health promotion, social services and education to Pacific
families.
“Many Pacific families are doing well under the National government but there are still some who face hardship. This
Budget ensures that Pacific peoples, particularly our children, have the best chance to lead healthy lives in warm and
safe homes, with better education and employment opportunities,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.
ends