GEORGINA BEYER (Labour-Wairarapa): I rise to speak in the third reading debate of the Social Security (Social Assistance) Amendment Bill. I should more correctly during the second reading debate have made the acknowledgment I am about to make, but as chairperson of the Social Services Committee, which had the purview over this bill before it returned to the House, I would like to acknowledge the members of that committee. They put in a great deal of thought and consideration, some of which we have heard from the member who has just resumed her seat. I would like to acknowledge Dr Muriel Newman, who was the deputy chairperson of the committee, Paul Adams, Sue Bradford, Judith Collins, the Hon Taito Phillip Field, Bill Gudgeon, Moana Mackey, Dr Lynda Scott, and the Hon Judith Tizard. I also thank all advisers and committee staff who assisted in the passage of our work with this particular bill.

I would like to talk about two of the other provisions that are quite important in the bill. The bill extends eligibility for an accommodation supplement to residents of retirement villages who have a licence to occupy tenure, and who meet the other qualifying criteria for the accommodation supplement, including an income and cash assets test. From 1 July this year, it is expected that several hundred retirement village residents will qualify for an accommodation supplement of, on average, between $37 and $54 a week.

A stand-down period of between 1 and 10 weeks applies to most new applicants before their benefits commence. The stand-down is currently calculated on the applicant’s income in the 26 weeks before becoming entitled to the benefit and on the number of children in the applicant’s care. From 1 May 2005 all benefit applicants will be able to elect either a 52-week or a 26-week income assessment period for the calculation of their stand-down periods. At the moment some seasonal workers who work for part of the year can be disadvantaged by the 26-week assessment. This change will benefit approximately 4,500 people a year by reducing the length of their initial stand-down period, and it will also reduce disincentives for people to undertake seasonal work.

I am pleased with the progress this bill has made in reaching its third reading. I look forward to its speedy dispatch in becoming law.