Simon Bridges National MP simonbridges.co.nz

Tauranga has some bright young minds and I'm reminded of this often, not only when I visit schools but also when I'm out and about.

Young people should be enthusiastic and positive about their futures. We are committed to helping improve the lives of those in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, which is why we are making a raft of changes to focus on protecting children, young people and families.

The changes came into force on April 1 and will complement much of the work this Government already has underway to help New Zealand families and children. They are good examples of the benefits our responsible policy programme is delivering.

The changes come on the back of nine years of sound economic management, which has helped get New Zealand back on track. Today, many more New Zealanders, including our children, will share the benefits of our country's economic stability.

A key milestone in the work this Government is doing to build a more child-centred care and protection system is the new Ministry for Vulnerable Children, Oranga Tamariki, which officially opened on April 1. This new Ministry will help us better understand the people who most need our intervention, and identify what really helps them to lead better lives.

Alongside this was the launch of VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai, New Zealand's first independent advocacy service for children.

Together, these initiatives show how very committed this Government is to stamping out child abuse, and giving our kids the helping hand many of them need to lead confident and happy lives.

Other important changes include low-income working families who are eligible for the Minimum Family Tax Credit receiving a small increase, bringing their after-tax annual income to $23,816. The adult minimum wage will rise to $15.75 an hour, and we are raising the starting out and training minimum wage to keep it at 80 per cent of the adult minimum wage.

Superannuation will increase from April 1, maintaining our commitment to keep superannuation at 66 per cent of the net average wage. ACC levies will be further reduced for the second year in a row.

We are also introducing a small increase in benefit rates. This comes on top of last year's move to increase benefits to families with children by $25 a week, the first time in 43 years a government has lifted them. At the same time, we are committed to helping people back into work.