Beneficiaries are not the problem

The Green Party is concerned the Government’s planned welfare reforms and the Working Group set up to consider them are wrongly focused on beneficiaries as the problem.

“The subtext of the ‘future focus’ reforms and the ideas coming out of this week’s Welfare Working Group forum are that beneficiaries are somehow to blame for all society’s ills,” Green Party Work and Income spokesperson Catherine Delahunty said.

“There is a need to reform the law and practices around welfare, but this should be focused on positive support, job creation to provide a living wage for everyone, and respect for the human beings involved.

“Instead Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is embarking on a series of reforms which will blame beneficiaries for their circumstances, and seek to punish them by cutting off their support or forcing them into inappropriate jobs.”

Ms Delahunty said the ideas coming out of the Welfare Working Group forum were not encouraging.
“So far the main suggestions have been a two-tier benefit system based on a private insurance model, and time limits for receiving a benefit. Both would harm our most vulnerable citizens.

“New Zealand has a positive tradition of welfare support. Unlike many of the OECD countries we are compared to, we don’t have large numbers of people begging in the streets. If we accept the blame and shame mentality we risk undermining this positive tradition.

“Most people who rely on welfare support do so for short periods to get through challenging situations. Those who stay on for longer often have complex reasons such as debilitating illnesses or disabilities and responsibilities to care for children or sick relatives. Others are unable to find appropriate work.

“Effective welfare reform needs to take these factors into account and focus on real job creation and solutions which respect people’s complex circumstances.

“The Welfare Working Group forum was supposed to be open to a diversity of views and opinions. Sadly, instead of looking for positive solutions, it seems to be reinforcing the culture of blame and shame,” Ms Delahunty said.