PM's focus on family hardship

Prime Minister John Key. File photo / Christine Cornege

Prime Minister John Key has announced a review of the ways the Government spends billions on vulnerable families and children ahead of the Budget in May.

"The Government is looking at ways to help families and children in material hardship," he said in his Prime Minister's statement which he tabled after Parliament resumed for the year at 2pm.

"As a first step, the Government will look hard at the billions of dollars already spent on vulnerable families and children to determine how this could be better used."

The May Budget is expected to contain new measures for tackling hardship and child poverty in particular.

His did not yet specified which programmes were under review and whether it would include the various programmes under the Working for Families umbrella.

But he said the Government's focus would continue to be on getting parents into full-time work "because this is widely acknowledged to be the best way to raise children out of poverty."

He also said the Youth Service approach to sole parents, in which they get intensive attention and budgeting advice would be extended to 19 year-olds sole parents and many other 18 and 19 year old beneficiaries who needed more support or who were at risk of long-term welfare dependence.

The statement is more or less a list of the Government's policy promises made in the election campaign or a re-statement of existing policies.

He said that across law and order agencies, a stronger response would be developed to prevent family violence, "including a focus on gangs and gang lifestyles."

"The Government will progress legislation to reduce unnecessary parole hearings and to
address cyber bullying, organized crime and online children abuse.

"We will improve the way the justice system supports victims of sexual violence and will progress the reform of privacy law."

In terms of Corrections, the objective was to make every publicly managed prison a working prison by 2017, so prisoners could take part in a 40-hour week of rehabilitation and reintegration activities.

"Specialist after-care will be delivered for those released or paroled prisoners who have undertaken a three of six-month drug treatment programme while in prison."