Demands for action on welfare
Ministry tardy on emergency appointments for beneficiaries in strife.
Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni wants to know how her agency plans to manage an ‘‘influx of people’’ struggling with rising living costs, particularly in housing.
New figures show some of the country’s most vulnerable people were being forced to wait far longer than the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) own service standard.
The department’s benchmark for those wanting to set up a new benefit meant they should be seen by Work and Income within two working days.
An Official Information Act response reveals some clients in the Wellington region were enduring lengthy wait times. The Porirua Work and Income office boasted some of the longest waiting times for the year to June, with averages of six working days.
The Newtown office in inner Wellington had an average delay of 5.9 working days over the same time, with Johnsonville, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt reporting average wait times of 5.7 working days.
Auckland’s Albany office had an average 4.2 working-day wait time, while Dunedin Central’s was 4.9 working days.
Some Work and Income service centres were also failing to meet its own standards for emergency appointments where clients should be seen within 24 hours.
Emergency needs included power being cut off, food needs or non-payment of a benefit.
Christchurch’s Riccarton office had the longest wait time of the 18 service centres requested by Sunday Star-Times, followed by Johnsonville (2.2), Newtown (2.1) and Upper Hutt (2.0) in Wellington.
Johnsonville had an average wait time of 2.2 working days in the last financial year, while Upper Hutt and Hamilton Central had two days.
Sepuloni acknowledged MSD was ‘‘aware it needs to work harder to help people more quickly.’’
The Kelston MP, who has been a minister for only weeks, has already asked MSD for strategies to better support those suffering financial hardship.
‘‘It is essential that people in need get the support they’re entitled to without long wait times,’’ Sepuloni said.
‘‘I have also asked the ministry for more information about specific sites that are not meeting the expected standard, and what remedial action is planned to address this.’’
The tough talk from Sepuloni has come just days after Labour revealed its mini-Budget which included increased financial support for families.
MSD group general manager, client services, Kay Read, recognised there was ‘‘still some work to do to see clients more quickly.’’
‘‘Every day, we see about 7500 people and there will always be fluctuation in our wait times across the country..
‘‘Wait times vary for a number of reasons, ranging from staff sickness to localised and temporary peaks in client numbers outside of our control.’’