Hon Paula Bennett
Minister for Social Development
Associate Minister of Housing

4 March 2013

Advocacy service continues to receive funding

There have been no cuts to government funding to the Benefit Advocacy Information Service and the Ministry of Social Development continues to fund this advocacy service in line with other similar organisations.

“Baseline funding for BAIS has increased under National, and is above funding levels it received under Labour,” say Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

In another example of scaremongering, Labour claims Beneficiary Advocates are not going to be funded anymore – this simply isn’t true and in the current financial year more than $244,000 has been paid to ten services around the country.

The Ministry is continuing to work with advocacy groups for allocating the remaining funding of $48,000.

Since 2009/2010 BAIS has received over $29,200 per year through the Citizens Support Fund which provides funding to groups advocating for beneficiaries.

The Benefit Advocacy Information Service has also received more than $135,880 in one-off grants since 2009/10 through the Community Response Fund (CRF). The time-limited CRF was established in 2009 to help NGOs meet critical demand while under financial pressure from the Global Financial Crisis.

The CRF expired in 2011/12, as was always signposted, at which time the Benefit Advocacy Information Service received a final grant of $50,000.

“It’s one thing for Jacinda Ardern to put misinformation out there, I expect it from her, but the Herald needs to check its facts before simply regurgitating what an Opposition MP says.”

“The Benefit Advocacy Information Service recently met with the Ministry of Social Development, and has been advised about further funding options available to them,” Mrs Bennett said.

ENDS

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