tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post2482452463200998627..comments2024-03-04T16:39:30.609+13:00Comments on Lindsay Mitchell: When DPB pays more than the average female worker's incomeLindsay Mitchellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-33570855145694272252013-08-08T23:01:05.471+12:002013-08-08T23:01:05.471+12:00I question if you have young children today Lindsa...I question if you have young children today Lindsay, or if you have your finger on the pulse of how much it costs to have children today? How about the sweat and tears that go into raising children- do you know it? Besides the fact that children are incredibly hard work, they are also very expensive to feed, cloth, entertain etc. As a mother of two very active young boys, I can assure you Motherhood is most definately not a walk in the park and I fail to believe that anyone would make the decision to have this full time commitment and financial burden- for the next 18 years- because of the DPB payment and an alternative to a 9-5er, 5 day a week, weekends off job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-42767048367876668642013-01-11T21:33:49.799+13:002013-01-11T21:33:49.799+13:00Have a look at this link showing the massive ammou...Have a look at this link showing the massive ammount paint out in accomodation supplement for market rent<br /><br />Most beneficiaries rent<br />Over time mortgages are repaid and the oweners need less for housing costs <br />not so with rent <br />this increases over time<br />Trapping peopel in poverty - lining landlords pockets<br /> and massivly increasing benefit payments<br /><br />As a single parent I cannot work 40 hours and cover my rent costs of over $300p/w<br />http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/statistical-report/statistical-report-2008/supplementary-benefits/accommodation-supplement.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-50278470998080167622010-06-02T22:38:40.547+12:002010-06-02T22:38:40.547+12:00When you said "If you are not sure that econo...When you said "If you are not sure that economic factors influence decisions about child bearing so be it. I disagree.", you are being too rigid. <br /><br />Possibly some folks do that but I reckon many are just NOT making any decision at all - they are just having SEX and not thinking about it because they are so poorly informed. Incredibly dumb and stupid if you like.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-1350953861724143782010-04-20T07:25:53.116+12:002010-04-20T07:25:53.116+12:00I would also be thinking about the Child Disabilit...I would also be thinking about the Child Disability Allowance (CDA).<br /><br />Whilst I have no objection to this payment in the circumstances it was probably designed for, the cat is out of the bag on this one and anecdotally it is common for a DPB receiver to have 4-5 kids, all with "disabilities" such as asthma.<br /><br />It is also fairly well known in the community which doctors to go to in order to be suitably "disabled".<br /><br />This perk - times 4 or 5 - can make a significant difference.<br /><br />And yes, I do realise that working people can also have lots of "disabled" children too. However, it is one of the best legal ways a DPB receiver can increase their income, and boy do they know and talk about it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-8054094211786103362010-04-19T19:31:14.933+12:002010-04-19T19:31:14.933+12:00↑ what he said ↑↑ what he said ↑Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-41669717725955068082010-04-19T19:19:30.104+12:002010-04-19T19:19:30.104+12:00Whether on a benefit or not those incomes are piti...Whether on a benefit or not those incomes are pitiful. If people are incentivized to have children it is because at the bottom end of your far from free market real wages have declined significantly in the last 20 years. Try living in Auckland on $580 a week with two kids.<br />Someone needs to tell the middle-classes that jumping up and down on the poor bastards at the bottom isn’t going to raise them up any higher, and that they’re only a misstep away from being trampled in capitalism’s mosh pit themselves.<br />The end game of all this beneficiary bashing is lower wages with the added benefit of shoring up the redneck vote.<br />Thinking back to the early to mid 90s the going cash rate for labouring was $10/hr. I’m getting leaflets in my letter box every other week from the desperate offering their services for similar rates. Even using the flawed bundle that is the CPI (the weightings in no sense represent what the average low-income earner spends – housing 23%??) goods & services costing $10 in Q4 2009 would have cost you only $6.94 in Q4 1993.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-24968464686339203942010-04-16T13:10:38.807+12:002010-04-16T13:10:38.807+12:00Of course, this is ridiculous. It all comes down t...Of course, this is ridiculous. It all comes down to incentives, and these incentives are being completely removed.<br /><br />A big change I have noted is the focus on "child poverty" as a justification for ever increasing the size of benefits such as the DPB. In my mind, the idea that child poverty is the responsibility of the state is a fallacy - and a fallacy that drives outcomes such as the real size of the DPB.<br /><br />If a parent cannot afford a child, or cannot afford to keep that child out of poverty, then surely that is the parent's decision to place a child in that circumstance. Why should the state have to take responsibility for that decision?The Baronnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-24398966771020557332010-04-16T12:05:35.499+12:002010-04-16T12:05:35.499+12:00Remember, too, that many welfare recipients with c...Remember, too, that many welfare recipients with children are in state housing, the 'rents' of which are usually below market value and wouldn't reflect the real cost of property maintenance etc (and there's no use in anyone saying there's no mortgage to service, what about overseas government debt!?"). <br /><br />Do you have any information on the economic viability of state housing, as I'd be interested to see it.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09909632830470321819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-67742763226305174692010-04-14T22:50:11.634+12:002010-04-14T22:50:11.634+12:00Semantics -
"not an economic decision" ...Semantics - <br />"not an economic decision" =/= "economic factors have no influence".<br /><br />The difference is the weight with which economic factors influence the decision to the exclusion of other factors, which has bearing on the relevance and persuasiveness of some pretty stretched data.<br /><br /><br />A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-19033574080681432882010-04-14T08:18:46.727+12:002010-04-14T08:18:46.727+12:00A. I have added the DPB payment for same scenario ...A. I have added the DPB payment for same scenario living in SI. So the graph now features the lowest and highest compared to the average incomes earned in the various sectors. Average weekly incomes vary by region but I cannot build a table that combines industry, sex and region.<br /><br />If you are not sure that economic factors influence decisions about child bearing so be it. I disagree.Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-72207689102284307172010-04-13T20:38:10.373+12:002010-04-13T20:38:10.373+12:00Does the DPB vary in amount according to geographi...Does the DPB vary in amount according to geographic location? Because your stats link says that awi certainly does. <br /><br />Nor am I sure that raising two children equates to "idleness", and nor am I sure that procreation is an economic decision.<br /><br /><br />A.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-3989176187505997992010-04-13T10:29:40.959+12:002010-04-13T10:29:40.959+12:00So let's look at another way. The basic DPB ra...So let's look at another way. The basic DPB rate is $278, pretty much the same as the lowest paying work. But by having a child or children and living 'independently' a female can boost that amount by $300. The big part of the boost comes with the children. Are you saying that wouldn't be a factor in making life choices?Lindsay Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04437693272797130833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19962237.post-47312480686448846322010-04-13T10:04:22.330+12:002010-04-13T10:04:22.330+12:00In order to compare the two, you`d have to take in...In order to compare the two, you`d have to take into account that this person on a low income would get an accommodation supplement, in work payment, and other allowances too, and deduct those from the $580 in comparing incomes.Swimminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12913329810121951824noreply@blogger.com