Jan Tinetti Labour MP

The mornings and evenings have been a wee bit chilly in Tauranga this week and so it's very timely that the Winter Energy Payment resumed last weekend on May 1, ensuring that around a million New Zealanders will be warmer this winter. The Government introduced this payment as part of our Families Package, to help seniors and families with the cost of heating during the colder months. It's simply about being able to run the heater when you need to.

Too many New Zealanders are hospitalised because of cold, damp homes. The Winter Energy Payment sits alongside our Warmer Kiwi Homes insulation programme, as well as new Healthy Homes Standards requiring the insulation of rental properties – all part of our plan to ensure every Kiwi home is warm and dry, and to ultimately keep people well.

I've had many people here in Tauranga tell me what a difference the Winter Energy Payment makes, grateful for the support with their power bills.

The Government is committed to boosting the incomes of Kiwi families, so everyone can afford the basics. Cumulatively, our Families Package and main benefit changes to date mean that, when the Winter Energy Payment resumes this weekend, around 111,000 families with children will be on average $150 a week better off.

There is more to do to lift the incomes of hard-working New Zealanders, but I'm proud to be part of a government that's stepping up to tackle long-term challenges like this one.