Work and Income Archive

  • Catherine Delahunty

    Welfare changes: private profit and political posturing - by Catherine Delahunty



    Did I miss something? Did the Prime Minister say he was going to work with the business and community sectors to create jobs at a living wage for the 27 percent of young people with no jobs? No. But he did promise to privitise the management of youth benefits for profit via a food stamps system. read more
    August 15, 2011 2:05 pm - 24 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    The Welfare Working Group and the injection - by Metiria Turei



    As reported on Morning Report yesterday, the Welfare Working Group report makes a startling – indeed deeply frightening – recommendation to link contraception to sole parent benefit receipt. The report says on page 15: We have heard a concern among some people that setting a work expectation for parents when their youngest child reaches three [...] read more
    March 8, 2011 9:23 am - 29 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Welfare reports worlds apart - by Catherine Delahunty



    In the past two days, two significant reports have come out about welfare. I’d like to say that together they provide a comprehensive picture of the welfare debate and the options for reform, but sadly that’s not the case. read more
    November 26, 2010 3:44 pm - 252 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Welfare Working Group worries - by Catherine Delahunty



    I watched with concern Paula Rebstock’s appearance on ‘Q and A’ last weekend. (We have two concerning Paulas to deal with in the welfare sector, this one’s not the Minister, but the chair of the Welfare Working Group). Paula R seemed to be crying some crocodile tears for beneficiaries trapped in poverty, while manufacturing a [...] read more
    November 17, 2010 1:04 pm - 8 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Inside the welfare forum we were un-invited to - by Catherine Delahunty



    Today and tomorrow, the Welfare Working Group is hosting a forum on welfare issues to look at the big picture. It was advertised as open to the first 250 people who enrolled, and billed as bringing together “a diversity of opinions and experience”. Metiria and I immediately registered, along with one of our researchers, because [...] read more
    June 9, 2010 5:02 pm - 174 Comments
  • frog

    If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, Paula - by frog



    Nothing about work-shy unemployment beneficiary Benjamin Easton’s case demonstrates any need to change the work test requirements for unemployment beneficiaries. There are already strict obligations on unemployment beneficiaries to look for work. All Paula Bennett needs to do is get her Ministry to apply them. read more
    February 26, 2010 12:23 pm - 42 Comments
  • frog

    The great welfare benefit rip-off - by frog



    Paula Bennett needs to focus a little less on the few beneficiaries who are ripping the system off, and a great deal more on the many who are being ripped off by the system. read more
    February 17, 2010 2:18 pm - 65 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Will Cathy Taewa get answers from Paula and Nick? - by Catherine Delahunty



    Four years ago, Bay of Plenty meatworker Johnny Taewa tragically died of the occupational disease leptospirosis. His widow Cathy has been told she was not only ineligible for a benefit, but won’t be eligible for five years, because the lump sum payment she received from ACC in respect of his death is treated as income. read more
    February 2, 2010 2:06 pm - 36 Comments
  • frog

    Gutting ACC – the secret agenda - by frog



    Introduce a $50 or $100 excess on every ACC claim? Try selling that one to someone on the minimum wage! Go to your local A&E clinic to get your cut finger stitched and a quarter of your take home income disappears – even if the accident happened at work and was because the employer’s equipment was faulty. read more
    October 19, 2009 9:30 am - 18 Comments