John Tamihere wants benefits paid to the National Maori Urban Authority so they can control how the final recipients spend them. It's not a new idea. It has advantages and disadvantages. In a way such a system resembles what happens in the US where the federal government provides funding to the states which then control the delivery. The states break it down further to counties. The smaller the unit the greater the intimacy between the provider and the recipient. Certainly more pressure can be brought to bear and more specialised and relevant support can be offered. I am also reminded of Switzerland where local government has retained control of welfare and there were over 3,000 different systems for seven million people (figures from the late nineties). But federalisation applies to all - not just one group of people.
What Tamihere is proposing means treating Maori differently which would face enormous political barriers. The risk of corruption and nepotism is very real, especially amongst people with tribal mentalities. The power concentrated in the hands of a few seems undesirable and a backward step for Maori.
On the plus side there would have to be compulsion involved which might not be a bad thing. If people didn't want to come under the control of the authority, didn't want to losing their spending autonomy, their best option would be to get job. That happened in the US when activity obligations were introduced. Many people made their own arrangements.
Decentralisation properly managed could be an improvement but would have to operate on an all or nothing basis.
The various responses to this idea are probably more interesting than the idea itself. Typically the Greens are prattling about "beneficiary rights"
Metiria Turei says,"We completely oppose attempts to impose centralised control over people's lives. They [the authority] have no right to decide for people how their income is spent. I find it offensive that Maori are proposing such a policy."
Alan Duff says,"The only way is to stop giving benefits entirely, and families will get by exactly the same as families do anywhere else on the planet where there are no benefits."
Duff's on the money.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
As you say it could be made to work.
Given the government's track record, It has as much chance as a tissue paper cat being chased through Hell by an asphestos dog...
Parents treat their kids like crap for sixteen years so their kids don't care about anything, then they have kids and history repeats itself. You can't expect much from these people.
How do people who are beaten turn their lives around? I guess they have to want to change their lives and know that it's possible.
Gloria
Riiight..of course, Maori--with their track record of impeccable handling of taxpayer's funds--can be trusted to dish out the money.
And the tooth fairy is alive and living in Ekatahuna.....
Obviously someone else thought the idea had some American resonances.
"Give Us the Cash" Say Leaders"
http://kiwiherald.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment