Page:New Zealand Parliament Hansard 2021-03-09.pdf/23

9 Mar 2021 conversations in schools and communities about menstrual health with both young women and men.

Willow-Jean Prime: How will the next phase of the initiative be rolled out across New Zealand schools?

Hon JAN TINETTI: Based on the lessons and insights we have had from phase one, we are currently running an open tender process for a supplier of period products to be rolled out to the schools nationwide. So far, we have already had 1,294 schools signed up. When the procurement process is complete, the scheme will be rolled out in a phased delivery, with period products available towards the end of term 2 for schools and kura that opt in by March of this year. We want to see fewer young people missing school because of their period, improved participation in school life, and reduced financial hardship amongst families of students receiving products.

9. CHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Has the Government commenced a "fundamental review of the design of the [COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme]", and what changes, if any, is the Government contemplating to the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme?

Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): The Government has made and announced the changes resulting from its reconsideration of the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme. The short-term absence payment commenced on 9 February. This new payment has been very successful and in just one month we have already approved 4,770 applications under that scheme. This payment now applies to any worker who cannot work from home but needs to stay at home while they are waiting a COVID-19 test result. The member can find details about the scheme and how to apply on the Work and Income website.

Chris Bishop: Is the Government considering policy to compensate people who are asked to self-isolate at home at 100 percent of what they were earning before being asked to self-isolate, and, if not, why not?

Hon MICHAEL WOOD: We're not currently considering a policy of the nature that the member describes. The Government is providing considerable support to employers and employees including through the Short-Term Absence Payment and the COVID Leave Support Scheme. But we'll keep a watching brief on this situation as we have throughout the COVID-19 period. In fact, I think one of the successes of the Government’s response to COVID-19 is that we’ve been willing to continuously review the support measures that we’ve put in place, as evidenced by the recent changes to the Short-Term Absence Payment (STAP) scheme.

Chris Bishop: Has he seen the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) advice, which stated that people who cannot work from home and who don’t have sufficient paid leave may face a financial penalty by self-isolating, and, if so, why will the Government not move to increase the amount of money given to workers who are asked to self-isolate?

Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I’ve seen the full range of advice provided by MBIE to the Government on these matters. As I’ve said, we'll continue to keep that under review, but we are offering significant support, and the evidence from the fact that in just one month we've had 4,770 people take up the STAP scheme—those are employers—suggests that it is hitting the mark. I also note other advice from MBIE which makes this point, and I'll quote directly from the advice, that the proposed suggestion of paying directly to employees is considerably more complex and "would likely not be implementable in the short term and would raise complex policy issues that would need to be worked through in detail, and the changes would likely require legislative support." Again, one of the