Information sharing

The Housing Restructuring and Tenancy Matters (Information Matching) Amendment Bill is going through Parliament currently. Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has spoken to it, describing it as "big brother snooping around" and "ganging up on beneficiaries". The Greens are opposing it on the following basis;

The Green Party opposes this bill because we are concerned by the proliferation of information-matching programmes operating between Government agencies and the intrusion this represents into the personal lives of New Zealanders and the fact that this bill sets Housing New Zealand Corporation tenants apart from other tenants - only they will be subject to data matching with Work and Income.

Now I am no fan of government. Not snooping or sharing information. But these parties have only themselves to blame. They are desperate for government to provide assistance in the form of housing and benefits but when the government wants to put parameters and conditions on the recipients they cry, intrusion, intrusion.

They can't have it both ways.

I remember when Green MP Metiria Turei entered Parliament calling herself an anarchist! If she's an anarchist, I'm the next New Zealand Idol.