Ministry of Social Development (New Zealand) explained

Agency Name:Ministry of Social Development
Formed:2001
Jurisdiction:New Zealand
Headquarters:The Aurora Conference Centre
56 The Terrace
Wellington 6011
Employees:7,973 FTE staff
(30 June 2020)[1]
Budget:Total budget for 2019/20
$27,828,629,000[2]
Minister1 Name:Hon Louise Upston
Minister1 Pfo:
Minister for Social Development and Employment
Chief1 Name:Debbie Power
Chief1 Position:
Chief Executive

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD; Māori: Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the New Zealand Government on social policy, and providing social services. MSD is the largest public service department, employing public servants in over 200 locations around New Zealand. MSD delivers its programmes and services through a number of business groups and agencies.[3]

Functions and responsibilities

The Ministry of Social Development is responsible for providing income support, superannuation, employment support, student loans and allowances, housing assistance, and allocating funding to community providers. It is also the Government's chief social policy adviser. MSD also designs and provides community services in conjunction with other organisations.[4]

MSD also hosts several other government ministries and services including the Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People, Te Kāhui Kāhu (Social Services Accreditation), the Office for Seniors, and the Ministry of Youth Development. Between 2019 and 2023, the Ministry also hosted the Independent Children's Monitor, a children's ombudsman.[5]

History

The Ministry of Social Development was created on 1 October 2001 through a merger of the Ministry of Social Policy and the Department of Work and Income. Some of the functions of the Ministry were historically performed by the Pensions Department, Social Security Department, the Department of Social Welfare, and the Department of Work and Income.[6]

On 1 July 2006, the former Department of Child, Youth and Family Services (CYFS) was integrated into MSD as a service line. On 1 March 2010, MSD established a Senior Services division. On 1 February 2011, the Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector was relocated from MSD to the Department of Internal Affairs. In July 2011, the Ministry of Commerce assumed responsibility for the Retirement Commission, which had previously been under MSD.

On 20 August 2012, the Ministry established a Youth Service unit. On 14 April 2014, MSD assumed responsibility for social housing assessment and income-related rent subsidies. On 31 October 2017, the Ministry's CYFS service line was replaced by a new ministry, Oranga Tamariki (the Ministry for Children).[7]

In 2019, the Independent Children's Monitor was established as a business unit within the Ministry of Social Development. In May 2023, the Children's Monitor was transferred to the Education Review Office with a wide mandate to oversee the Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) system.

In February 2021, the Auditor-General investigated a scheme by the Ministry of Social Development where private landlords were paid exorbitant rental rates for emergency housing; some of which was reportedly unfit for human habitation.[8] In mid-December 2021, the Auditor-General released a report criticising the Ministry for paying more than NZ$37 million in inflated rents between November 2017 and June 2020 to private landlords and property managers to provide emergency housing for homeless people. The report found that the Ministry did not exercise control over rental prices which drove up rental rates. Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni expressed surprise that the Ministry had not consulted her, while the National Party's housing spokesperson Nicola Willis called for Sepuloni to hold the Ministry to account.[9] [10]

On 12 May 2024, RNZ reported that the Ministry had received almost 5,000 complaints related to staff's poor handling of clients looking for help and financial assistance. In response, the Ministry claimed that complaints represented less than 0.1% of its interactions with clients over the past two years.[11] By 23 May, the Ministry announced plans to lay off 712 jobs as part of government cutbacks.[12]

In early August 2024, RNZ reported that the Ministry would strengthen eligibility criteria and introduce new obligations for emergency housing tenants including a 13-weeks standing down period for those breaking rules from 26 August. New obligations include requiring those staying longer than a week to engage with support services and seek alternative accommodation and requiring people to pay their emergency housing obligations. These new rules were part of the Sixth National Government's to reduce the use of motels as emergency housing. Canterbury housing advocate Kevin Murray expressed concern about the impact of the new legislation on individuals with mental illness on supported living while Community Law CEO Sue Moroney expressed concern that the new rules would lead to a rise in homelessness.[13]

Ministers

The Ministry serves nine portfolios and eight ministers.[14]

Officeholder Portfolio(s) Other Responsibilities
Lead Minister (Ministry of Social Development)
Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister for Child Poverty Reduction
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Minister for Disability Issues
Minister for Social Investment
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
Minister of Housing
Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)
Minister for Seniors
Hon Matt DooceyMinister for Youth
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual violence

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FTE employees by department . Workforce data . Public Service Commission . 30 June 2020 . 9 December 2020 .
  2. Web site: Total Appropriations for Each Vote. Budget 2019. The Treasury.
  3. Web site: About MSD. Ministry of Social Development.
  4. Web site: Our responsibiities . Ministry of Social Development . 26 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230324225121/https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/our-responsibilities/index.html . 24 March 2023 . live.
  5. News: Chief Executive of Aroturuki Tamariki – Independent Children’s Monitor appointed . 25 December 2023 . . 13 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230812092609/https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/news/chief-executive-of-aroturuki-tamariki-independent-childrens-monitor-appointed/ . 12 August 2023.
  6. Web site: Historical Timeline . Ministry of Social Development . 26 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230802091850/https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/history/index.html . 2 August 2023 . live.
  7. News: Kenny. Katie . Ministry for Vulnerable Children is changing its name, again. 9 November 2017. Stuff. 31 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930022652/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98349920/ministry-for-vulnerable-children-is-changing-its-name-again. 30 September 2023. live.
  8. News: Fonseka . Dileepa . Auditor-General investigates MSD scheme which paid landlords $3k per week for 'uninhabitable' houses . 15 December 2021 . . 25 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210227152057/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300239529/auditorgeneral-investigates-msd-scheme-which-paid-landlords-3k-per-week-for-uninhabitable-houses . 27 February 2021.
  9. News: Minister believes MSD should have told her about paying inflated rents for emergency . 15 December 2021 . . 15 December 2021.
  10. News: Cooke . Henry . Auditor-General slams emergency housing rentals, says they likely drove rents higher . 15 December 2021 . . 14 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211214040644/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300477908/auditorgeneral-slams-emergency-housing-rentals-says-they-likely-drove-rents-higher . 14 December 2021. live.
  11. News: Almeida . Rayssa . MSD receives almost 5000 complaints about staff in two years . 14 May 2024 . . 12 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240512074354/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/516616/msd-receives-almost-5000-complaints-about-staff-in-two-years . 12 May 2024. live.
  12. News: Ministry of Social Development job losses top 700 after more cuts announced . 26 May 2024 . . 23 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240523064440/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/517627/ministry-of-social-development-job-losses-top-700-after-more-cuts-announced . 23 May 2024. live.
  13. News: Pennington . Phil . Ministry of Social Development to introduce new rules for cutting emergency housing numbers . 11 August 2024 . . 9 August 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240811095809/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/524658/ministry-of-social-development-to-introduce-new-rules-for-cutting-emergency-housing-numbers . 11 August 2024.
  14. Web site: Our Ministers – Ministry of Social Development . 2023-02-15 . www.msd.govt.nz.