Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Paula Bennett goes to Paris

Minister for Social Development, Paula Bennett, is in Paris addressing her OECD counterparts about what New Zealand has done in the face of recession.

“I’ll be focusing on our country’s strong “work first” approach. Unlike other countries, we don’t hand over a benefit and then offer to help someone find work."

Now she may be saying that in a media statement, but what's the chances she will say that directly to other Ministers? Then again, this is Paula Bennett. Just which countries does she think let people onto welfare more readily than NZ does? It'd be interesting to know.

NZ has not been hit as hard as others by the recession and fortunately, when redundancies have occurred, other jobs can sometimes be found, hence NZ's success in work placement. But let's not go near other benefits..... For instance, if NZ treated workless single parents as unemployed, in the way other OECD countries do, her 'triaging' record would look a lot less positive.

(As well the picture is further complicated by other countries differing social security systems. Many have unemployment insurance whereby people have immediate entitlements to payments due to premiums paid by employers/employees/dedicated taxes. Whereas here, at the mercy of unemployment benefits funded through general taxation, entitlement is far more tenuous.)

“I’ll also look at how we’ve stimulated the economy through tax cuts ...."

Well, I must have missed that. So I can't comment. Anybody else want to?

5 comments:

Sinner said...

Unlike other countries, we don’t hand over a benefit


Manifestly false. NZ hands over benefits more than any comparable country!




“I’ll also look at how we’ve stimulated the economy through tax cuts ...."



Well she's right here, technically. Cullen cut corporate taxes. Unfortunately her government raised them and even Roger vote for TAX RAISES

Manolo said...

Nothing but more appeasing policies from a spineless National government which has no serious intentions of carrying out welfare reform.

So far, there is little difference between Labour and National.

Online Insurance Licensing said...

Welfare states have a way of making it look pretty because if it didn't then then no one but the government is to blame. It really is not the answer to our troubles. Socializing healthcare is tied to getting us out of the mess. It's a missrepresentation of the whole issue and hence, a viable solution cannot come from it.

Shane Pleasance said...

So she acknowledges that tax cuts (do) & (have) stimulated the economy!? Woohoo. Lets have some more then eh? Robbing lying bastards.
Bennett? First name Gordon.

Anonymous said...

Paula really is an imbecile. Solo mother made good by getting a Uni degree. Anyone can get a degree, I'm living proof, I've got three.