Greens seek protection for children in welfare changes

The Green Party is proposing amendments to the Government's welfare changes that seek to protect children whose parents face having their benefit cut.

The Social Security Amendment Bill is expected to come back before Parliament today and includes provisions that would cut a parent's benefit under certain circumstances.

"It is completely unacceptable for the Government to endanger children by trying to punish their parents," Green Party Children spokesperson Holly Walker said.

"Cutting benefits means less money for food and other essentials that the welfare system is supposed to provide for children who need it."

Ms Walker's amendments to the Bill would provide the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development with discretion not to cut a benefit if it would deprive a child of food or shelter, or would otherwise be detrimental to the wellbeing of the child.

"This is a humane and pragmatic change to the Bill that brings it into line with our international obligations in relation to child welfare," said Ms Walker.

"If the Government is serious about child wellbeing then it needs to consider how its policy changes will impact on children.

"We believe the Government's Bill is in breach of Articles 26 and 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and contrary to Articles 9 to 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

"Our changes are also consistent with recent case law which held, in a High Court decision last year, that the Ministry of Social Development did not properly consider the rights of a child when it made substantial deductions to an invalid parent's benefit due to an overpayment."

Green Party Work and Income spokesperson Jan Logie has also put forward an amendment that would reinstate the Training Incentive Allowance to sole parents and other beneficiaries studying at degree level and higher.

The Green Party believes jobs that follow from degree level study offer a viable route out of long term benefit dependency for parents and children, which is one of the main intentions of the original Bill.

"We urge all parties to support our amendments to lessen the impact of the Government's changes on our most vulnerable citizens - our kids," said Ms Walker.