beneficiaries Archive

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  The Welfare Working Group and the work test police - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  One of the cornerstones of the recommendations of the Welfare Working Group’s report (PDF) is sanctions against beneficiaries who “fail” work tests. Their thesis is that work will set you free from “welfare dependency” and if you fail to actively seek work your benefit should be cut for your own good! The concept of “failing” [...] read more
  March 24, 2011 9:21 am - 43 Comments
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  Volunteer Awareness Week - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  In order to participate in Volunteer Awareness Week I went and volunteered today at the Wellington People’s Centre. Wellington Peoples Centre is an exceptional community organisation which provides affordable dental, health and counselling services as well a fantastic benefit rights service. The staff of volunteers and paid workers are literally lifesavers for many low-income families. [...] read more
  June 24, 2010 5:33 pm - 3 Comments
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  A good news beneficiary story - by frog

  
  
  
  I was delighted to read a rare media story this morning depicting a beneficiary in a positive light! Well done, New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent, and well done, Taranaki Daily News. read more
  June 18, 2010 1:35 pm - 4 Comments
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  Bennett’s unhelpful benefit cliches - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  The Minister of Social Development Paula Bennett made a speech recently at the National Party Regional Conference in Oamaru, in which she talked about how terrible it is for children to see their parents on a long-term benefit. I must experience a more complex universe than the Minister. The worst experience for a child is [...] read more
  May 31, 2010 3:42 pm - 19 Comments
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  Job creation and welfare policies are failing - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Most people spend less than a year on a benefit and use that time to rebuild their lives and education. The few who abuse the system pale into insignificance against losses from failed investment companies, tax evaders and corporate fraudsters. read more
  May 7, 2010 12:13 pm - 27 Comments
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  Greens Create Jobs with Joined Up Thinking - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Thanks to a Green New Deal scheme championed by the Green Party, beneficiaries and their families will get the opportunity for seasonal work in the Southern Ocean sanctuary or they can opt for jobs in the beautiful conservation estate . We all recognise that the environment is a problem and that unemployment is a problem and we [...] read more
  April 1, 2010 1:17 am - 20 Comments
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  Beneficiary bashing back in fashion - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  The Government smokescreen for inaction on the rising unemployment figures is to raise the spectre of benefit fraud. I had a look at the Ministry of Social Development statistics and found this is not a growing problem. read more
  February 15, 2010 2:41 pm - 36 Comments
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  Paula’s Christmas bash - by frog

  
  
  
  As if it isn’t miserable enough being on a benefit at Christmas time, Paula Bennett has decided to put the boot into beneficiaries. Wouldn’t it be a better idea for the Government to actually create some jobs for beneficiaries through a programme like the Green New Deal? Or would that be too hard? read more
  December 23, 2009 1:56 pm - 25 Comments
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  The tsunami of child poverty - by frog

  
  
  
  New Zealand’s “tsunami of child poverty” came under the microscope at the recent Child Poverty Action Group hui at Manurewa marae. The hui was designed to build activism to end child poverty in Aotearoa. Activism is clearly what is needed to bring about change, was the consensus of speakers and participants. One of the overriding [...] read more
  October 13, 2009 5:30 pm - 147 Comments
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  A week of g.blog - by frog

  
  
  
  g.blog was busy over the weekend with Ari joining to report on an innovative new solar glass technology that concentrates different colours of light into a focused border around the edge of the glass: …part of what makes solar power so expensive is that the light that we collect for it is very unfocused, and [...] read more
  August 18, 2008 11:06 am - 10 Comments
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  Choosing to be sick or invalid - by frog

  
  
  
  Despite people’s complaints when I write about social welfare benefits rather than environmental and conservation issues, it does seem to be the successful meme this week – with you readers making hundreds of comments on the topic. So, here’s one more. Toad and Jafapete have a good summary of the claim by the National Party [...] read more
  August 13, 2008 2:51 pm - 48 Comments
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  Government takes an online gamble - by frog

  
  
  
  Last week the Minister of Internal Affairs let the Lotteries Commission introduce online gaming for Lotto products. Online gambling is a highly addictive form of gambling which targets people while they are alone and isolated from their communities. As a safety precaution the Minister has limited the amount that someone can spend on online gambling [...] read more
  April 3, 2008 8:53 am - 38 Comments