54280 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

Written Question

Published date: 09 Dec 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	54280 (2025)
Question asked:	18 Nov 2025
Member asking:	Hon Willow-Jean Prime
Portfolio:	Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister replying:	Hon Louise Upston
Answer received:	03 Dec 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_54280_2025
Document guid:	3d965a86-8ae1-4fa5-8caa-0c7f0622835e

54280 (2025). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: How many, if any, top-up payments has the Ministry of Social Development made to closed claims since the announcement about top-ups on the 9 May 2025, listed by rapid payment or individual asessment?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development that as at 18 November 2025, 1,114 top up payments have been made to closed claims. I am advised that the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) is unable to break down top up payments by rapid repayment and individualised assessment within a written parliamentary question timeframe as it would take substantial manual collation and require the Ministry to divert personnel from their core duties. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 210/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering these questions within this timeframe is not in the public interest.