There are now so many Work and Income rules that have either been repealed, ignored or broken since 2017 that it's worth making a list:
1/ The penalty for not naming the father of a child dependent on a sole parent benefit was abolished. Taxpayer now picks up the liable parent contribution.
2/ The requirement to ensure a child on a benefit is attending early childhood education/ school and enroled with a GP is ignored.
3/ Sanctions for not meeting appointment and work obligations have declined significantly:
4/ The requirement to present a medical certificate is suspended till at least 2022.
5/ Beneficiaries can use payment cards to buy cigarettes, lotto tickets and giftcards at BP.
6/ Fraud is not being prosecuted. Fraud staff have been moved to chasing up wage subsidy repayments, and changes to privacy settings have prevented investigations without disclosure to parties being investigated.
7/ No stand-downs imposed till July 2021.
And to be repealed by law passing through parliament currently:
8/ Early work-testing of a sole parent who adds a subsequent child to their benefit. Green light to continue having children on welfare with no consequence except extra cash.
What with the increases to basic benefit rates, increased abatement thresholds, indexing benefits to wages as well as CPI, the winter energy payment, Best Start and the loosening of so many obligations, there's never been a better time to be a beneficiary in New Zealand.
3 comments:
It's almost as if this government is fully intent on fostering and developing an underclass.One that is hopelessly dependent and cosy on the couch, with sanctioned vices. Have they completely given up on the unemployable, or is it something more sinister.
Growing that r-selected vote plantation.
Someone close to me worked for a time at a tier two financial institution in Wairarapa late last century, that had decided a social responsibility would have them process Benefit payments for the second tier "workforce" who declined for many reasons to participate in the work many more committed people might regard as actual toil for remuneration. That person would often come home a little chagrined due to systemic, bordering on egregious at times, abuse handed out by "Clients" of the Society over misunderstandings as to exactly what "My Wages being in my account yet" might actually represent with confusion between wages for work and a welfare benefit. Something with a potential to create, in the mind of one who admittedly might have had a minor bias towards some attitudes of those who presented as quite well equipped for simple labour tasks, yet appeared as an entitled person with 'attitude'.
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