DPB Archive

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  Childcare changes typical of Govt’s anti-child approach - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Social Development Minister Paula Bennett has realised that if you’re going to work-test sole parents and force them into low-paid jobs when their children are six (or younger), someone’s going to have to look after the kids. read more
  October 3, 2011 4:39 pm - 6 Comments
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  Beneficiary-bashing Bill back in Parliament, and worse than ever - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Paula Bennett’s draconian Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill has been reported back to Parliament by the Social Services Select Committee.  Despite overwhelming opposition to the Bill by submitters, the National Party used its majority on the Select Committee to report it back largely unchanged. They even decided to recommend a harsher reduction of benefit regime for [...] read more
  July 31, 2010 5:11 pm - 85 Comments
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  “Future Focus” welfare – dreaming of a kick in the pants - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  If you really want a “fresh look” at the system Paula, why not teach your staff how to explain what people are entitled to, rather than kicking them and their children in the pants and the pocket! read more
  March 29, 2010 11:11 am - 9 Comments
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  Attack on invalids is a sick policy - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Last month one-time Act party candidate and full time crusader against the DPB Lindsay Mitchell released a statement criticising National for not implementing their draconian pre-election welfare policy.  According to Ms Mitchell, who writes from the leafy Wellington sea side suburb Eastbourne, what is needed is a bit more carrot and probably a rather large [...] read more
  November 4, 2009 9:00 am - 51 Comments
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  Paula Bennett has forgotten her own - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  “I’ve always proudly stood up and said I’ve had benefit from the welfare state and I’m incredibly grateful for it. To now have that being used against me, I think is offensive to those people who are on benefits and trying to better their lives.” So says Paula Bennett, Minister of Social development and one [...] read more
  July 21, 2009 9:07 am - 176 Comments
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  A week of g.blog - by frog

  
  
  
  Toad has found out that the National Party’s beneficiary policy is worse than I suggested this morning: They are not just going to work-test people on DPB, but also those on Invalid’s Benefit (qualification: “permanently and severely restricted in his or her capacity for work because of sickness, or because of injury or disability from [...] read more
  August 11, 2008 1:54 pm - 2 Comments
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  More on the Domestic Purposes Benefit - by frog

  
  
  
  The Domestic Purpose Benefit was reformed in 2002. Before it was reformed the number of parents on the DPB had been slowly falling. They continued to fall after the 2002 reforms, from 100,652 in 2002, to 93,348 in 2006 (down 7.3%). The Ministry of Social Development’s Statistical Report notes: Since 2002, almost all working aged [...] read more
  February 25, 2008 3:17 pm - 26 Comments
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  Outrageous; teenage mothers stay home to care for children - by frog

  
  
  
  National’s Judith Collins used the weekend to talk about this year’s favourite electorally marginal group of people; young people.  Specifically this week we as country are moving on from taggers (who I note have made their thoughts clear on government’s latest anti-tagger policy down in Timaru) and switching focus to that regular talkback show stalwart, [...] read more
  February 25, 2008 11:26 am - 27 Comments