"It was felt that Work and Income was not forthcoming enough with extra assistance that might alleviate poverty and facilitate genuine personal and family development," the report said.
"On the whole, sole-parent DPB recipients felt that an emphasis on paid employment as the ultimate outcome ignored and devalued the work they were currently engaged in (as parents)."
What a bunch of whingers.
I am reminded of a passage from Margaret McClure's work about the history of social security in New Zealand;
Charitable aid administrators were extraordinarily cautious; they aimed to relieve absolute destitution only. Grace Neill, an early official, felt that if they attempted to do more, and alleviate poverty, ‘we may as well try to fill a sieve with water.’
How right she was.
4 comments:
Lindsay, to be fair, charitable aid views should be spread across all benefits, not just the DPB. ALthough you dont like the DPB, the sickness benefit is abused more than the DPB is and its purpose - to provide temporary relief for the sick - has also been distorted.
I would say that a higher
proportion of DPB recipients are in dire need more so than the proportion of those on other benefits - but it also appears that a higher porportion of those on other benefits have more time on their hands to find out their entitlements
The post is about the DPB because that is what the report is about.
So you're approving the reaction of David Benson-Pope to the original report. Well done. I approve of your approval, Lindsay. Why don't you say say that you think DPB was correct?
woops. Wine. DBP.
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