Other reporting requirements | Ētahi atu herenga tuku pūrongo

In addition to reporting under the Public Finance Act 1989, MSD has other reporting requirements for this Annual Report.

Treaty settlement commitments

Enhancing oversight of Treaty settlements: He Korowai Whakamana

He Korowai Whakamana is a Cabinet-agreed framework for achieving oversight and enhancing accountability for the Crown’s Treaty settlement commitments. It requires core Crown agencies to record and track the status of their settlement commitments and report annually on them.

Te Haeata – the Settlement Portal is used by agencies to raise the visibility of settlement commitments and to record whether each of their commitments is complete, on track, yet to be triggered or having delivery issues.

The status of MSD’s Treaty settlement commitments

MSD is responsible for a variety of Treaty settlement commitments. Most relate to relationship redress and the transfer of settlement properties.

As at 30 June 2024, MSD was responsible for 82 Treaty settlement commitments (see Figure 6).

Figure 6: Treaty settlement commitments

The status of our Treaty settlement commitments

Most commitments we are responsible for (95 percent) have been completed or are on track. A small proportion of our commitments (5 percent or four commitments) is yet to be triggered.

Māori–Crown relations capability

MSD has focused on building capability to ensure that MSD can confidently and appropriately engage with Māori. We are committed to implementing Whāinga Amorangi Phase One through our Māori Cultural Capability work.

Our te ao Māori capability dashboard tracks the uptake and completion of development opportunities. This provides us with an organisation-wide view of the progress we continue to make and helps us to determine where our focus should be to support our people.

In 2023/24, 31 percent of our employees participated in these development opportunities, with almost 1,500 courses completed (now over 5,500 since 2018). We have continued to prioritise capability building across MSD in New Zealand history, Treaty of Waitangi, tikanga, kawa and te reo Māori.

Māori language planning – te reo Māori revitalisation

Developing te reo Māori capability in our people offers a strong foundation for providing the best service to all New Zealanders, especially whānau, hapū and iwi. It helps us to create environments that are welcoming, safe and relationship-focused to better support our clients.

MSD has incorporated Māori language planning into several streams of our work programmes. MSD is required to develop a te reo Māori language plan under Maihi Karauna – the Crown’s Strategy for Māori Language Revitalisation and Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016 (Māori Language Act 2016). We are continuing to work on establishing and implementing regional te reo Māori capability plans. The development of these will continue into 2024/25, alongside the wider promotion of learning and other supports such as regional hui, communications and significant events such as Matariki.

Equal employment opportunities

We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO), so that our staff reflect the values and composition of the communities we work with.

Our EEO policy is designed to ensure that we support and promote equal employment opportunities. The policy provides the guiding principles and outlines the responsibilities for managers, human resources and staff. 

This policy is part of MSD's Equality and Diversity Commitment and adheres to the Public Service Commission Model Standards. The Model Standards set out the Public Service Commissioner's minimum expectations for staff and organisations in the public service to ensure positive and safe workplaces.

EEO principles are built into all of our people policies and guidelines. We continue to monitor our pay gaps and organisational ethnicity and gender metrics to ensure that we are aligned with our own policies and guidelines.

Progress on the review of our EEO policy has continued and we expect this to be completed in 2024/25.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Diversity, equity and inclusion are important to ensure a positive experience for our people at work. It is critical for our success as an organisation that we reflect the people we serve, which means acknowledging and appreciating our own diversity so that we can support our clients’ aspirations.

MSD has a comprehensive diversity and inclusion work programme, which allows a focus on areas of opportunity to create a safe and supportive work environment for all our people.

Our diversity and inclusion programme

Our diversity and inclusion direction is in line with the Papa Pounamu work programme, led by the Public Service Commission.

We have an extensive range of training and development programmes and resources, including:

• training to build awareness of unconscious bias in the workplace
• te ao Māori training and development opportunities
• Te Pātaka, our storehouse of learning and resources
• MSD’s mentoring programme, successfully run in partnership with employee-led networks, regions and business units.

We have approximately 35 employee-led networks that promote and support the goals and needs of particular groups of MSD employees and play an integral part in helping MSD to build a more inclusive workforce.

Demographic profile and pay gaps

Kia Toipoto – Public Service Pay Gaps Action Plan 2021–24

MSD is working to close its gender and ethnic pay gaps. In part, we are doing this by addressing occupational division, which is over- or under-representation of some ethnic cohorts in specific types of jobs, following the guidance provided by the Public Service Commission.

We have been formally addressing internal gender pay gaps since 2017 and tracking gender-ethnic pay gaps since 2018.

MSD’s Gender and Ethnic Pay Gap Action Plan 2023/24 is available on our website. As required, the action plan for 2024/25, which will contain our full data analysis for 2023/24 and an overview of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, will be published on our website by 15 November 2024.

We made good progress during 2023/24. This included implementing a Starting Salary Policy and Guidelines to support our people leaders in making fair and equitable employment offers, and launching an online learning module that helps build Rainbow capability with our staff.

We have updated the way we calculate our demographic data to align with Public Service Commission guidance. While this has had a marginal impact (less than 1 percent) on our results, it should be considered when comparing against previous years.

Ethnicity

Māori, Pacific and Asian representation in MSD is higher than in the New Zealand public service as a whole, and is in line with what we have seen in previous years. There are generally no ethnic pay gaps within same or similar roles, or across most pay bands. Figure 7 outlines the ethnicity demographic across the organisation and in senior management, and the ethnicity pay gap.

To address occupational division, several key focus areas and projects are working on the remaining gender and ethnic pay gaps following Kia Toipoto guidance. These cover:

• transparency
• equitable pay outcomes
• leadership representation
• effective career and leadership development
• addressing all forms of bias and discrimination
• flexible work by default. 

Figure 7: Ethnicity demographic and pay gap data as at 30 June 2024

Ethnicity demographic across the organisation

Ethnicity demographic breakdown of senior management (Note 3)

Ethnicity pay gap

Note 1: Middle Eastern, Latin American and African.

Note 2: We allow the option to select more than one ethnicity, so the numbers do not match the total headcount and percentages will not equal 100 percent.

Note 3: Senior management is exclusive of the Chief Executive as they are not employed by MSD.

Gender

Over the past year, MSD has continued the effort to reduce the gender pay gap. As at 30 June 2024, the pay gap has decreased to 9.7 percent, compared with 30 June 2023 (10 percent). Figure 8 outlines the gender demographic across the organisation and in senior management, and the gender pay gap.

Nearly 70 percent of MSD employees are female and a higher proportion work in our lower-paid roles, which impacts the overall pay gap. There are generally no gender pay gaps within the same or similar roles, or across most pay bands.

Figure 8: Gender demographic and pay gap data as at 30 June 2024

Gender demographic across the organisation

Gender demographic breakdown of senior management (Note 1)

Note 1: Senior management is exclusive of the Chief Executive as they are not employed by MSD.

Gender pay gap

Disability

MSD does not require people to declare their disability status. We are continuing to improve our data and understanding of this workforce so we can improve support and decision-making for those with disabilities.

Health and safety

The Health, Safety, Security and Wellbeing (HSSW) requirements and duties that MSD operates under are set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) and the Protective Security Requirements (PSRs).

We provide a suite of internal reports on HSSW risks and events to a range of stakeholders, including regional managers and the PSA. Our Leadership Team receives regular detailed reports that give them the information required to discharge their due diligence duties as officers under the HSWA. Our HSSW policies are reviewed and refreshed every two years in consultation with our National Health and Safety Committee.

Our biennial Worker Participation Agreement with the PSA was last signed in May 2023 and outlines both parties’ commitment to staff and PSA representation on MSD’s Health and Safety Committees. Our Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) throughout the organisation are an important asset. HSRs receive training to fulfil their roles under the HSWA and are encouraged to input into Health, Safety and Security (HSS) risk assessments, policies and processes.

In June 2024, one of our HSRs was awarded the Government Health and Safety Lead Award for HSR of the Year. This is the second time in three years that an MSD HSR has been recognised with this award.

Staff wellbeing

Supporting and investing in the wellbeing of our people is a priority for MSD. Managing our critical risks, including psychosocial harm arising for staff in the conduct of their work, is undertaken on an MSD-wide basis. MSD’s approach to wellbeing encompasses a range of initiatives which support our people as part of the work programme for Pā Harakeke, our wellbeing plan. These initiatives include mental health and wellbeing learning, health benefits (for example, flu vaccinations and vision care), peer support, counselling and coaching.

In late 2023, a separate functional team was set up within the HSSW team structure. This team includes dedicated roles that are tasked with developing and supporting workplace wellbeing. They focus on:

• addressing aspects of work design that affect physical and psychosocial wellbeing
• building the awareness and capability of managers and all staff
• minimising the impacts of psychosocial harm that arise from work.

Staff safety and security

The nature of our work carries risk, including the risk of physical harm to staff. Staff are reporting increased numbers of events involving assault, abuse and threats of harm, both in person and by telephone. Our security ecosystem is designed around the principles of detect, deter, delay and respond. These principles underpin all operational decisions affecting staff safety.

Our HSSW training framework is designed to support the training requirements of staff generally (ActSafe), managers and people leaders (LeadSafe) and for workplaces generally. The training programme includes a regular cycle of mandatory safety drills that draw on the experience of actual security events, and that reflect our assessment of security risks. We carried out three drills in 2023/24 and participants reported an increase in their confidence in dealing with security events.

Each year a sample of sites is audited for Accident Compensation Corporation’s (ACC) Accredited Employers Programme (AEP). The AEP is supplemented by our own assurance processes, which include annual in-person checks of the security controls for all client-facing sites. All sites, including non-client-facing workplaces, are required to complete a self-audit to ensure that we meet our obligations under the HSWA and the PSRs. 

Service Centres for the Future

Service Centres for the Future (SCF) is our national programme of work that has enhanced security in all our service centres, including incorporating new spaces and technologies. Of the 122 sites in scope, 113 have now been fitted out with these new security features, including three sites that were relocated to newly built facilities in 2023/24.

Four sites are due to have their SCF fit-out completed by December 2024, and the remaining five sites currently have interim security control layouts.

Carbon Neutral Government Programme reporting

We continue to reduce our carbon emissions and have introduced more sustainable practices to support the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP).

We have been reporting our emissions since 2022 and have set targets to reduce emissions by 21 percent by 2025 and 42 percent by 2030, compared with our 2018/19 base year. Our base year emissions were recalculated this year to correct a historic error, which has resulted in an updated figure of 6,337.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e) for 2018/19 (previously 6,235.4 tCO₂e).

Our forecasts show that we are on track to meet our 2025 emissions reduction target, with our emissions 19.8 percent lower for 2023/24 than our base year.

The emissions included in our emissions profile are those that are classified as mandatory for reporting under the CNGP. Our reduction targets are based on these emissions.

Emissions profile

Our key emissions sources are from energy use in buildings, air travel, our vehicle fleet and postage. Figure 9 outlines a full breakdown of our emissions by scope and source.

The increase in our emissions of 3.5 percent compared with 2022/23 is mainly due to:

• a one-off increase in postage from two large mail campaigns that let clients know about required changes to international payments, and changes to how child support is shared by Inland Revenue and automatically charged against MSD financial assistance
• an increase in the electricity factor (the emissions produced from each unit of electricity used) which is used to calculate MSD’s electricity emissions.

Despite this, our 2023/24 emissions are within our reduction target trajectory.

Our emissions reporting aligns with central agency CNGP guidance. Our 2023/24 data has been independently verified by Opportune NZ. The emissions profile for 2023/24 excludes emissions from staff commuting and emissions generated by the activities of Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People, which reports separately from MSD. 

Figure 9: MSD emissions profile

Reduction initiatives

Our key emission-reduction initiatives, focusing on our top four emission categories, are:

• Travel: reducing travel and introducing a new Travel and Transport Policy. This change also supported our fiscal sustainability programme.
• Energy: completing energy-efficiency audits focusing on our largest sites, identifying quick-win initiatives and longer-term measures to reduce energy use. We continue to engage with landlords to secure improved building systems to reduce emissions (for example, installation of energy efficient lighting and the use of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) settings).
• Fleet: reducing the size of the fleet and transitioning to electric vehicles. In 2023/24, we significantly reduced the size of the fleet by removing underutilised older vehicles. We disposed of a majority of our petrol vehicles and over a quarter of the fleet now consists of electric vehicles.
• Postage: we are working to encourage more clients to use our digital service for their letters, instead of receiving printed letters by post.

Asset performance

MSD manages about $308 million of departmental assets, made up of property, plant and equipment, and intangible assets.

The following performance measures in Figure 10 allow us to assess how well we are meeting our expectations and objectives, both at an organisational and asset level. We review our measures and targets regularly to ensure they are fit for purpose. 

Figure 10: Property and technology asset performance measures

Property assets

Technology assets – Intangible – internally generated software

Technology assets – Computer equipment

Note 1: Work-point density is the area (m²) of building floor space per work point.

Note 2: Condition excludes seismic status.

Note 3: Leased commercial premises are assessed by MSD's property managers using a framework based on the New Zealand Asset Management Support (NAMS) methodology from Āpōpō, which is the professional association for infrastructure asset management in New Zealand. 

Note 4: Core applications are defined as systems, the criticality of which is such that any issue that occurs is resolved as a high priority.

Note 5: Tier 1 applications are those that are critical for the support of our services. In-support applications are supported by vendors through regular upgrades, defect and security fixes. This is vital for enabling them to function correctly and securely.

Property assets

MSD’s property assets provide 179,000m² of office space for our staff. These spaces are key to engaging face to face with clients and providing organisational support within 122 service centres across the country. Most space is leased rather than owned. Within the leased spaces, our assets are primarily fit-outs, furniture and security equipment.

Three service centres have been relocated into newly built premises: Te Kāika in Dunedin, Palmerston North and Riccarton (Christchurch). One service centre has been relocated in Murupara, and one office that housed MSD and Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People staff has been relocated into an all-of-government hub in Te Rapa (Hamilton). There have also been three new Jobs and Skills Hubs opened, in Lower Hutt, Hastings and Gisborne. 

The service centre site in Gisborne was relocated to temporary premises while our new permanent site is being built. There are an additional three sites currently undergoing earthquake strengthening and other significant works in Masterton, Tauranga and Whakatane. These are operating in temporary or reduced sites during the works.

We are continuing to focus on long-term property investment planning, leveraging tenure at strategic sites and improving space utilisation, and working proactively with the Government Property Group and other agencies to optimise office accommodation. We also provide shared service support for smaller agencies.

Technology assets

Maintaining and improving services

MSD’s current infrastructure and business processes have developed over time to meet changing services, products, legislation and needs. We have core heritage systems that are end of life and have no future roadmap.

Currently our systems are complex and a disproportionate amount of effort is required to keep them operational and safe. With end-of-life technology, our workforce has a heavy focus on processing transactions.

Despite this complex environment, and while preparing for the future, we have ensured MSD’s digital services, frontline systems and applications are available to our clients, staff and partners for over 99 percent of the time during business hours.

In the past year, we have enabled many service and system improvements for clients, staff and partners, from small updates to major projects. An example is the work we have done to upgrade our core Cúram client management system to the current supported version.

Preparing for transformation

In 2023/24, we further accelerated work to enable MSD to transform its services to New Zealanders. Our technology strategy has been refreshed with a focus on cost efficiencies, resilience, emerging technologies, accessibility, sustainability and decluttering our technology landscape.

To support our technology workforce, practice managers and practice leads are now responsible for ensuring staff are skilled in the tools they need for their work and ready for the changes to technology coming with the Te Pae Tawhiti Transformation Programme. We have rolled out the Skillsoft Percipio online learning platform and work is continuing to integrate this with our Skills Framework for the Information Age tooling, to guide staff to learning that reflects skills gaps or desired career paths.

To empower the MSD workforce with modern tools, we have now completed the rollout of Microsoft Teams nationally. We are implementing Microsoft SharePoint as a modern document management system to better create, collaborate and secure documents and other unstructured information across MSD. This is expected to retire several legacy systems, reducing complexity and costs to MSD.

To bolster our resiliency in the event of a major disaster, we have recruited a resiliency manager based in Auckland. The resiliency manager supports the Auckland-based IT team to run recovery and operations in the event of major events in Wellington.

Delegation of functions or powers under the Public Service Act 2020

During 2023/24, MSD’s Chief Executive delegated no functions or powers to a person outside the public service under the Public Service Act 2020 or any other Act.

Child Protection Policy

MSD has a Child Protection Policy as required by the Children’s Act 2014. The purpose of this policy is to promote the safety of the children we interact with by helping staff identify and respond to suspected abuse.

Under this policy, all staff are required to know that the policy exists and how to access it. The policy is published on the MSD website as required by the Act. MSD has reviewed and refreshed existing child protection guidance and information and updated existing training. The training will be rolled out across the organisation in 2024.

Where MSD funds providers to deliver children’s services, they are required to hold Level 2 or 3 accreditation with Te Kāhui Kāhu. Accreditation requires providers to be compliant with the Act, which also includes having their own child protection policy.

Oranga Tamariki Action Plan

The Oranga Tamariki Action Plan was published on 7 July 2022 alongside an associated Implementation Plan. The Action Plan sets out the steps that the Chief Executives of the children’s agencies (including MSD), under the Children’s Act, will take in working together to improve the wellbeing of the core populations of interest to Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children.

Oranga Tamariki captures progress made by all the children’s agencies in six-monthly implementation reports. As described in the latest implementation report (covering July to December 2023):

• MSD has refreshed our ‘ChildSAFE’ online learning which has been republished within our organisation-wide induction programme as compulsory learning. This training sets out the principles of MSD’s Child Protection Policy and expectations of how our staff should respond when they have concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children.
• MSD engaged a specialist provider to design and deliver Family Violence Awareness training regionally for client-facing managers between March and July 2024.

Copies of the implementation reports for the Oranga Tamariki Action Plan are available online: www.orangatamarikiactionplan.govt.nz/mahi/implementation.

MSD services for victims

Under section 50A of the Victims’ Rights Act 2002, MSD is required to report a summary of the services it provides to victims. MSD is also required to report statistical information about the number, type and nature of complaints from victims received under section 49 of this Act.

The services MSD provides directly for victims are:

• Are you OK, a website that provides victims/survivors of family violence, and people supporting them, with information on family violence and how to access support around New Zealand.
• The Family Violence Intervention Programme, which trains case managers to identify and respond appropriately to people who are living in or leaving violent family situations. It has Family Violence Co-ordinators in each region to provide support to all staff and liaise with local support services.

Figure 11 lists services provided to victims by third-party non-government organisations which receive funding from MSD. More information about the services available can be found on MSD’s website.

MSD has not, to its knowledge, received any complaints from victims in 2023/24 of the type specified under section 49 of the Victims’ Rights Act.

Figure 11: Services provided to victims by third parties

Approved Information-Sharing Agreements (AISAs)

AISA between MSD, the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki to support services for disengaged youth

MSD is the lead agency for the AISA with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Oranga Tamariki for providing services to help disengaged youth move into education, employment or training. Figure 12 outlines the operation of this AISA in 2023/24.

The NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Service was established in 2012 within the Youth Service. Referrals to youth providers are generated by a statistical predictive modelling tool that identifies school leavers who may be at risk of long-term unemployment.

The model considers the age of a young person, whether their parents are on a benefit, any history of involvement with Oranga Tamariki and their school history. Only young people with a risk rating of high or very high are referred to the service so they can receive intensive support. Participation is voluntary. 

Figure 12: Operation of the AISA 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024

Scale

Benefits

Note 1: The number of enrolments includes some enrolments:

• that were triggered by a benefit being declined or cancelled – we are currently unable to separate these enrolments
• for clients who transferred between regions and for whom the original trigger may not have been the information from the NEET model – we are currently unable to determine the original trigger for these enrolments.

Note 2: The number of individuals includes current clients and those who exited the service during the year.

We make sure our model is accurate and its data is protected

We measure model accuracy each time the model is refreshed.

The Youth Service Model was last updated in August 2020. This model was assessed using lift at the top 10 percent threshold, which indicates how much better the model does compared with random decision-making. The model had a lift of 3.22, meaning it correctly ranked the young people in the top 10 percent 3.22 times more often than a random selection.

The model is monitored fortnightly by a team of analysts, and other than some reflection of COVID-19 effects, no issues were detected with either the inputs or results. During the period, 10.2 percent of school leavers were referred to providers, very close to the expected 10 percent. With the number referred close to target, thresholds have not been refreshed since 2020.

We securely store the model and data outputs within the MSD data warehouse. No security problems have been identified during the reporting year.

Effectiveness of information sharing under the agreement

Information sharing itself has not changed this year.

The accuracy of contact information provided under the AISA remains an issue, as providers may be unable to contact young people who have been referred to providers of the service. However, since providers generally source their own clients rather than relying on referrals, the overall effect on the service is not high.

Information sharing provides a useful level of assurance that young people who have significant need for support (and who might not otherwise be identified by community providers) will be identified.

Number of complaints

No complaints were received in 2023/24 about any alleged harm caused by a privacy breach under the agreement (in 2022/23 there were no complaints).

Amendments to the AISA since the last report

There have been no amendments to the AISA since MSD’s last Annual Report.

AISA between MSD and the New Zealand Customs Service

MSD is the lead agency for the AISA with the New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) that permits and regulates the sharing of arrivals and departures information to MSD. The information shared under this agreement is used to verify the entitlement or eligibility of any client travelling overseas to receive a payment, to avoid overpayments and to enable recovery of debt. Figure 13 outlines the operation of this AISA in 2023/24.

The AISA allows MSD to suspend most payments without prior notice when information shared by Customs shows that a client has been overseas for longer than permitted by the eligibility rules that apply to that payment. The exceptions are payments for New Zealand Superannuation, Veteran's Pension, Student Allowance and non-beneficiary supplementary assistance where debt is created.

The report distinguishes between the impact of the match on current clients and that on former clients who are in debt to MSD and are identified in Customs data as having returned to New Zealand.

Figure 13: Operation of the AISA 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024

Scale

Benefits

Note 1: This represents the number of travel movement records shared. Each time someone goes through Customs represents one record. If someone travels overseas twice, passing through Customs four times during the period, this is four records.

Note 2: Clients may be included in this count multiple times, depending on their movements and the type of payment they receive.

Note 3: A client can potentially receive up to three adverse action letters in relation to one suspension. That is, for suspension of New Zealand Superannuation, a client may be sent a warning letter, a suspension letter and a debt letter.

Note 4: There are a small number of suspensions classified as following prior notice which were suspended immediately. We currently cannot separate these suspensions.

Note 5: A challenge process is available to remedy cases that may be mismatched each year. This year most discrepancies in matches related to a different date of birth or name(s). The challenges represent less than 1 percent of the overall match programme.

Effectiveness of information sharing under the agreement

The full effectiveness of this AISA is returning to pre-COVID-19 levels. As expected, travel in the last year has increased. During 2023/24, there were 28.2 percent more travel movements and 32.8 percent more matches than in 2022/23.

Number of complaints

During 2023/24, there were 15 complaints about the match:

• Two involved New Zealand Superannuation clients who advised MSD of their travel before departing. Both clients were incorrectly reported as being in breach, which resulted in no overpayment for one client and an overpayment being established for the other. The overpayment was disestablished, and apologies were made to both clients.
• The other 13 were about incorrect matches. All were investigated and corrected, and no privacy breaches were identified (in 2022/23 there were six complaints).

Assurance

The planned assurance review to assess the operation of the AISA commenced in the 2022/23 reporting period and will be completed by August 2024. The results of the review will be shared with MSD’s Leadership Team in 2024 and reported in next year’s Annual Report.

Amendments to the AISA

There have been no amendments to the AISA since MSD’s last Annual Report.

Budget significant initiatives

This section sets out MSD’s Budget significant initiatives from the previous three Budgets and where information on them can be found in the Annual Report.

The initiatives below have been selected using the following criteria:

• we have applied a threshold of $100 million to guide selection, given the size and number of MSD appropriations
• we have excluded:
  • anything completed before 1 July 2023 as being out of scope for current reporting
  • initiatives where the funding is only allocated to Benefits or Related Expenses (BoRE) appropriations, as this type of expenditure solely covers payments from the Crown to individuals
  • Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People initiatives.

The totals reflect the gross funding, excluding cross-Vote expenditure, associated with the initiatives as at the relevant Budget. Where an initiative has been substantially changed by a subsequent Budget process, this has been outlined in the initiative details, and any that are due to decisions made by the new Government are reflected in references to Budget 2024.

Further information about Budget initiatives can be found on the following sites:

• MSD's Budget fact sheets
• Summary of Initiatives for current and past Budgets (The Treasury website)

Published Budget information typically outlines the impact on the operating balance rather than the gross total of the initiative as shown below.

Budget 2021

Apprenticeship Support Scheme Programme: Design and Implementation of the Mana in Mahi Expansion and the Apprenticeship Boost Initiative

Gross total ($m): 409.972

This first initiative was for time-limited funding to April 2022 of $409.972 million to create the Apprenticeship Boost Initiative (ABI). The ABI was established on 5 August 2020 to support employers to engage and retain eligible apprentices who are in training towards their qualification and, in turn, to assist New Zealand's recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The funding initiative also included funding for an expansion of the existing Mana in Mahi programme. It received Cabinet approval on 15 June 2020 and was included in the Supplementary Estimates 2020/21 through Budget 2021, with the funding drawn down from the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF) Foundation Package.

A secondary initiative, Four Month Extension Apprenticeship Boost Initiative, was approved through Budget 2021 and provided further gross funding of $75.000 million for the ABI. This extended the programme to August 2022.

Subsequent impacts

In Budget 2022, an additional gross total of $229.533 million was approved through a separate Budget initiative, Apprenticeship Boost Initiative – Extending the programme. This funding enabled the continued delivery of the ABI until 31 December 2023.

In Budget 2023, an additional gross total of $76.522 million was approved through a separate Budget initiative, Continuing Support for Apprenticeships. This funding enabled the continued delivery of the ABI until 31 December 2024.

In Budget 2024, an additional gross total of $85.869 million was approved through a separate Budget initiative, Apprenticeship Boost Scheme Continuation. This funding enabled the continued delivery of the ABI until 30 June 2028. From 1 January 2025, Apprenticeship Boost will provide a $500 (exclusive of GST) per month subsidy to employers of eligible first-year apprentices only.

These are cross-Vote initiatives with Vote Tertiary Education. The policies regarding the initiatives are led by the Ministry of Education. However, the administration of the scheme is led by MSD.

See pages 127-135 for performance information relating to this initiative.

Budget 2022

Housing-related hardship assistance – Improving support for homeless, housing insecure and low-income New Zealanders

Gross total ($m): 524.970

This is an ongoing funding initiative which creates a new housing-related financial assistance programme (combining Housing Support Products and housing-related Advances/Recoverable Assistance Payments). It targets lower-income households so they can access and sustain housing in the private rental market by increasing housing-related financial assistance and expanding eligibility. Funding is required for the increased number and level of grants, new payments, IT and system changes. The programme will ensure one-off housing-related financial assistance is accessible, equitable and easier to understand. This will serve longer-term goals of preventing homelessness and contributing to a reduction in the number of households requiring emergency, transitional and public housing.

The gross total reflects all funding associated with this initiative as at Budget 2022, until 30 June 2026.

See pages 124-126 for performance information relating to this initiative.

Budget 2023

Te Pae Tawhiti Programme – Continuing Work on the Ministry of Social Development’s Transformation

Gross total ($m): 183.000

This is a time-limited funding initiative to the end of 2024/25, which provides funding to continue MSD’s transformation programme, Te Pae Tawhiti, including beginning work on Horizon One of the programme.

The gross total consists of $20 million of new funding, $80 million in tagged contingency (which has all been drawn down) and $83 million of savings from within MSD’s baseline.

See pages 114-115 for performance information relating to this initiative.