Social Development

  • People

    Parmjeet Parmar

    Parmjeet Parmar MP immigrated to New Zealand from India in 1995, receiving a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Auckland. Before being elected to Parliament as an ACT Party MP in 2023, Parmjeet worked as a scientist, businesswoman, broadcaster and community advocate before becoming the first Indian born woman to be a Member of Parliament at the 2014 General Election. Outside politics, Parmjeet served as the Chair of an NGO helping victims of domestic violence, a Community Representative on the Film and Video Labelling Body, a Families Commissioner and as a director and board member. She lives in Auckland with her husband and their two sons.

  • Press Releases

    Taxpayer-funded job search platform more evidence of why ACT is needed

    “News that the Government is spending more than $36 million on a job search platform for beneficiaries shows why ACT is needed to bring to government accountability for taxpayers,” says ACT’s Social Development spokesperson Karen Chhour.

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  • Press Releases

    Welfare needs a values shift

    “Welfare dependency has grown massively in New Zealand, there needs to be a rebalancing back towards obligations. The benefit is there to get people back on their feet, not to rely on,” says ACT’s Social Development spokesperson Karen Chhour.

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  • Policies

    Welfare

    Helping sick and drug-addicted beneficiaries back to work

    Electronic Income Management

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  • Press Releases

    Helping sick and drug-addicted beneficiaries back to work

    “Abandoning people to a life on welfare is a waste of human potential – but that’s what Labour is doing to thousands of New Zealanders right now,” says ACT Leader David Seymour. “ACT will provide hope and opportunity by helping sick and drug-addicted beneficiaries who can get off the benefit and back into work to do so.”

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  • Press Releases

    One in five kids in benefit dependent households

    “This year’s Salvation Army State of the Nation report shows that there are 208,900 kids living in benefit-dependent households, 30,000 more than when Labour took office,” says ACT’s Social Development spokesperson Karen Chhour.

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