28055 (2025). Hon Marama Davidson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

28055 (2025). Hon Marama Davidson to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Is she concerned that changes to the eligibility for the Jobseeker benefit for 18 and 19 years old might put more children into poverty, and what advice, if any, has she seen to support her position?

Hon Louise Upston: As the Minister for Social Development and Employment, my priority is to address the needs of children in poverty. In my capacity as Minister for Social Development and Employment, I regularly request and receive advice on a range of topics. In the interest of transparency, a list of reports received by my office from the Ministry of Social Development is regularly published on the Ministry of Social Development website. The lists of titles published since September 2018 are available here: www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/information-releases/reports-to-minister/index.html. Papers I have received from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are or will soon be published on: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/about/open-government-and-official-information/release-of-information/lists-of-ministerial-documents-by-portfolio/social-development-and-employment.