Angie Warren-Clark Labour MP

During two years – from 2022/2023 to 2024/2025 – $24.8 million will continue supporting access to affordable, healthy, and culturally appropriate food.

Helping maintain community food distribution infrastructure, supporting food security initiatives and continuing elements of the existing Food Secure Communities programme.

Since the pandemic started, the Ministry of Social Development has supported access to food through the Food Secure Communities programme, helping deliver more than 671,000 food parcels to people in need during the Covid-19 response.

Also, $7.5 million a year for two years will maintain the community food distribution infrastructure to collect and deliver high volumes of surplus and wholesale food. And $4 million in 2023/2024 and $3.5 million in 2024/2025 will continue seed funding for food security initiatives on a pathway to self-sustainability, allowing communities to take the lead in resilience. And $2.3 million in 2023/2024 continues targeted support to meet increased demand for community food services.

All children should live in a home where they're fed and feel safe. I came to Parliament because of the chronic underfunding in specialist family violence services. I'm delighted that once again our government has funded Te Aorerekura New Zealand's first ever plan to eliminate family violence and sexual violence.

The investment enables a kaupapa Māori approach to specialist sexual violence services, further funding for the Family Violence Help Portal and new funding for advocates to support children in Women's Refuge sites.

Other Budget 2023 personal favourites are nearly doubling our Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, and $863.8 million for increased access to – and transformation of – disability support services.