9527 (2024). Chlöe Swarbrick to the Minister for Social Investment

9527 (2024). Chlöe Swarbrick to the Minister for Social Investment: What work, if any, has the Minister undertaken on the Government's 'social investment' approach?

Hon Nicola Willis: I have been working to ensure that this year’s Budget will put in place the foundations needed to bring social investment to life. I am establishing a new Social Investment Agency to replace the Social Wellbeing Agency, effective from 1 July this year. This standalone, central agency will lead the development of social investment across government, helping us achieve better results from our social service expenditure with smarter use of data, evidence and analytics. I am also establishing a Social Investment Board as a ministerial advisory committee to provide external challenge and guidance as we undertake the shift towards social investment, and a group of Social Investment Ministers to work with me on powering up the social investment approach across the system. In addition, I will establish a Social Investment Fund as a vehicle for future social investments, to be managed by the Social Investment Agency. This Fund will directly commission outcomes for vulnerable New Zealanders, and to work with community, non-government organisations and iwi providers. The fund will begin investing in 2025 and, over time, I expect it to grow in partnership with other funders to deliver, at scale, with a wide portfolio of investments.