Chief Executive’s foreword, including statement of responsibility | Te kupu takamua a Te Tumu Whakarae, me te tauākī kawenga

We all want the same thing. Whether you are a job seeker, student or senior, and whether you work at or with MSD, we all want to live in resilient communities where whānau are safe, strong and independent – manaaki tangata, manaaki whānau. To lead an organisation with such an important purpose is a true privilege.

Over the course of my time working here, increasingly I have the view that social development and economic development are intrinsically linked. To not be linked risks the work we do in the social sector not being linked to an economic outcome, be that work, education or training. People not being able to participate in work, education or training increases the danger of them becoming increasingly marginalised and communities being less resilient. That is why we, and all those we work with, want to ensure people who can work can access the support they need to be independent. That help can include getting a job, making connections, getting access to education and training, or additional support.

The Government employment target – to reduce the number of people on Jobseeker Support by 50,000 by 2030 – has been challenging given the current economic conditions, but we continue to concentrate our resources on this because we know having a job is the best way for people to be financially independent. We are engaging more often, with more people, about work. The number of people who came off Jobseeker Support into work increased this year – an impressive achievement when unemployment is high. Investment in our frontline staff and employment programmes as part of Budget 2025 will help us redouble our employment efforts.

The joint Government housing target – to reduce the number of households in emergency housing by 75 percent – was achieved in December 2024. MSD’s contribution was prioritising moving families with children out of emergency housing into more stable housing. This has seen 1,041 households with children get into stable housing. While the emergency housing system provides a crucial safety net, we continue to work on long-term solutions and tailored solutions for people with an urgent housing need.

In 2024, we welcomed Disability Support Services (DSS) to MSD. DSS has focused on stabilising the system and ensuring it can be an effective commissioner, funder and steward of high-quality services. Nationwide consultation has been crucial to seek feedback from the community and sector on the future of disability support services in New Zealand.

MSD is one of the agencies involved in improving the redress system for survivors of abuse in care. Redress has included a formal apology in November 2024, and an increase in average redress payments and the capacity of our Historic Claims team to process these payments.

Funding has now been committed for our multi-year transformation programme. We have begun introducing the much-needed technology and process changes that will make it easier for people to access our services in a way that works for them.

From 1 July 2025, we have a new set of strategic intentions to guide our work. These will be reported on in MSD’s Annual Report 2026.

Looking back over my six years as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, I see an organisation that has adapted year upon year to respond to the changing needs of the community and government priorities. What has not changed is our commitment to the work we do and the people we serve.

My thanks to our people at MSD and all those we work with throughout the year.

Statement of responsibility

As Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), I am responsible for:

  • the preparation of MSD’s financial statements and statements of expenses and capital expenditure, and for the judgements expressed in them
  • having in place a system of internal control designed to provide reasonable assurance as to the integrity and reliability of financial reporting
  • ensuring that end-of-year performance information on each appropriation administered by MSD is provided in accordance with sections 19A to 19C of the Public Finance Act 1989, whether or not that information is included in this Annual Report
  • the accuracy of any end-of-year performance information prepared by MSD, whether or not that information is included in the Annual Report.

In my opinion:

  • The Annual Report fairly reflects the operations, progress and organisational health and capability of MSD.
  • The financial statements fairly reflect the financial position of MSD as at 30 June 2025 and its operations for the year ended on that date.
  • The forecast financial statements fairly reflect the forecast financial position of MSD as at 30 June 2025 and its operations for the year ending on that date. 

Debbie Power | Chief Executive | Ministry of Social Development

30 September 2025

Te kupu takamua a Te Tumu Whakarae, me te tauākī kawenga

He ōrite ō tātou hiahia. Ahakoa he kairapu mahi, he ākonga, he kaumātua, ahakoa rānei ka mahi koe ki MSD, me MSD rānei, ko te hiahia kia noho tātou ki ngā hapori manawaroa, e haumaru ai, e pakari ai, e motuhake ai hoki ngā whānau - manaaki tangata, manaaki whānau. He hōnore nui te ārahi i tētahi whakahaere me tēnei kaupapa hirahira.

I te roanga o taku wā mahi i konei, kua piki haere taku kite i te hononga waiwai o te whanaketanga pāpori me te whanaketanga ōhanga. Ki te kore e hono, ka mōrearea katoa ā mātou mahi i te rāngai pāpori, koi kore e tūhonotia atu ki tētahi putanga ōhanga, ahakoa he mahi, he mātauranga, he whakangungu rānei. Ki te kore ngā tāngata e āhei atu ki te mahi, te mātauranga, te whakangungu rānei, ka piki te mōrearea o te whakaparahakotia o taua hunga rā, ā, kua iti ake te manawaroa o ngā hapori. Koinei mātou, me ō mātou hoa, e whakarite ana ki te āwhina i te hunga e hiahia ana ki te mahi kia āhei atu rātou ki ngā tautoko e hiahia ana rātou, otirā kia tū motuhake. Ko te āhua pea o taua āwhina, ko te whiwhi mahi, te hono ki ētahi atu, te āhei atu ki te mātauranga me te whakangungu, me ētahi atu tautoko rānei.

Ko te whāinga whiwhi mahi a te Kāwanatanga – ki te whakaiti i te tokomaha tāngata ka whiwhi i te takuhe Jobseeker Support mā te 50,000 hei te 2030 – he whāinga uaua, nā ngā āhuatanga ōhanga o te wā, engari kei te arotahi mātou i ngā rauemi ki tēnei whāinga nā te mea kei te mōhio mātou ko te whiwhi mahi te huarahi pai rawa e motuhake ai te noho o te tangata. He nui ake ngā wā, ā, he nui ake ngā tāngata e whai wāhi atu nei mātou, ā, ko te mahi te take. Ko te tokomaha o ngā tāngata e heke ana i te takuhe Jobseeker Support ki ngā tūranga mahi, kua piki i tēnei tau - he whāinga hirahira i te wā e teitei ana ngā tatauranga koremahi. He āwhinatanga te haumi ki ngā kaimahi aroākapa me ngā hōtaka whiwhi mahi, hei wāhanga o te Mahere Pūtea 2025, i ā mātou mahi whiwhi mahi.

Ko te whāinga ngātahi rapu whare a te Kāwanatanga – ki te whakaiti i te tokomaha o ngā whānau kei ngā nōhanga ohotata mā te 75 ōrau – i tutuki i te Tīhema 2024. Ko te wāhi ki a MSD, ko te whakaarotau i te nukuhanga o ngā whānau whai tamariki i ngā whare ohotata ki ētahi atu whare tūwhena. He 1,041 ngā whānau whai tamariki kua kuhuna e mātou ki ngā whare tūwhena. Ahakoa ka noho te pūnaha whare ohotata hei kupenga whakarauora waiwai, kei te whiriwhiri tonu mātou i ētahi otinga tauroa me ngā otinga motuhake mā te hunga e matea nui ana ki tētahi whare.

I te 2024, i pōhiritia e mātou ngā Ratonga Tautoko Whaikaha (DSS) ki MSD. Kua aro nui te DSS ki te whakawhena i te pūnaha me te whakarite kia whaihua tana noho hei kaiwhakarato, hei kaituku pūtea, hei kaitiaki hoki i ngā ratonga kounga nui. He waiwai ki a mātou ngā whiriwhiri kōrero ā-motu ki te rapu kōrero whakahoki mai i te hapori me te rāngai e pā ana ki te anamata o ngā ratonga tautoko whaikaha i Aotearoa.

Ko MSD tētahi o ngā tari e whai wāhi ana ki te hiki i te pūnaha paremata mā ngā mōrehu o te tūkino i roto i te pūnaha manaaki. I uru ki te utu paremata ko tētahi whakapāha ōkawa i te Nōema 2024, he pikinga o ngā pūtea paremata toharite me te raukaha hoki o tō mātou kāhui Historic Claims ki te tukatuka i ēnei utunga.

Kua tūturutia ngā pūtea ki tō mātou hōtaka whakaumu tau tini. Kua tīmata mātou ki te whakauru i ngā hangarau hou me ngā panoni tukanga e ngāwari ake ai mā te tangata ki te whakauru ki ā mātou ratonga, i runga anō i te tikanga e tika ana ki a rātou.

Atu i te 1 o Hūrae 2025, he huinga rautaki koronga hou hei ārahi i ā mātou mahi. Ka pūrongotia ēnei i roto i te Pūrongo ā-Tau 2026 a MSD.

Ina titiro whakamuri ki aku tau e ono hei Tumu Whakarae mō Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora, e kite ana ahau i tētahi whakahaere kua urutau haere i ia tau ki te urupare ki ngā matea hurihuri a te hapori me ngā whakaarotau kāwanatanga. Ko te mea kāore anō i panoni ko tō mātou pūmau ki ā mātou mahi me te iwi. 

Aku mihi ki ō tātou kaimahi kei MSD, me te hunga katoa e mahi tahi nei matou i te roanga o te tau.

Te tauākī kawenga 

Hei Tumu Whakarae mō Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora (MSD), e noho haepapa ana ahau mō:

  • te whakarite i ngā tauākī pūtea me ngā tauākī whakapaunga a MSD, me ngā whakapaunga pūrawa, ā, tae atu ki ngā whakataunga kei roto
  • te whakarite i tētahi pūnaha whakahaere rāroto kua hoahoatia hei whakarato whakaūnga whaitake ki te pono me te horopū o ngā pūrongo ahumoni
  • te whakarite i ngā mōhiohio tutukinga mahi ā-tau mō ia tohanga ka whakahaeretia e MSD, i runga anō i ngā wāhanga 19A ki te 19C o te Public Finance Act 1989, ahakoa kei roto, kāore rānei i roto, aua mōhiohio i tēnei Pūrongo ā-Tau
  • te tika o ngā mōhiohio tutukinga mahi ā-tau kua whakaritea e MSD, ahakoa kei roto, kāore rānei i roto, ngā mōhiohio i te Pūrongo ā-Tau.

Ki ōku whakaaro:

  • Ka whakaata tika te Pūrongo ā-Tau i ngā whakahaere, ngā kokenga me te hauora ā-whakahaere me te mātau o MSD.
  • Ka whakaata tika ngā tauākī pūtea i te tūnga ahumoni o MSD hei te 30 o Hune 2025, me āna whakahaere mō te mutunga o te tau i taua rā.
  • Ka whakaata tika ngā tauākī pūtea matapae i te tūnga ahumoni matapae o MSD hei te 30 o Hune 2025 me āna whakahaere mō te mutunga o te tau i taua rā. 

Debbie Power | Tumu Whakarae | Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora

30 o Hepetema 2025

Index | Next page