Nats to act on benefit pledges

BY TRACY WATKINS
Last updated 05:00 02/11/2009

National Putting Mums To Work

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The Government is poised to implement a key election pledge requiring parents on the domestic purposes benefit to find work or training once their youngest child turns six.

Sickness and invalid beneficiaries are also in the Government's sights, with plans to make it tougher to sign up and stay on either benefit indefinitely.

But the pill looks to be sweetened with the Government pushing out the amount long-term beneficiaries can earn from part-time work before they lose their benefit.

Labour welfare spokeswoman Annette King said she supported the rise in the earning threshold as that would encourage more people into work. But she questioned whether it was too soon to ask beneficiaries to find jobs in an economy that remained weak.

The proposals are expected to be considered by the Cabinet before Christmas, after being put on ice because of the recession.

Finance Minister Bill English said yesterday an improving economy and better than expected unemployment figures meant the time was right to revisit the welfare plan.

In the past month the number of people on the dole had dropped by about 200 a week, he said.

A spokeswoman for Welfare Minister Paula Bennett said there were a "range of measures" under consideration.

Officials now believe unemployment will peak at only 7 per cent – meaning 20,000 fewer people are expected to lose their jobs than when officials believed joblessness would peak at 8 per cent.

National promised during the 2008 election campaign that it would make changes within its first year in office to impose part-time work obligations on domestic purposes beneficiaries when their youngest child turned six.

Other promises included part-time work obligations for sickness and invalid beneficiaries, coupled with more frequent testing to assess their fitness to work.

On September 30, 85,015 people received invalid benefits and 56,384 sickness benefits.

Mr English said the invalid group was being looked at.

"Effectively we have 80,000 people where officially the welfare system has said they won't work again. We think that's a waste of those people and of their potential so we want to look at how to encourage more people off those longer term benefits."

- With NZPA

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116 comments
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jigadesh   #116   11:58 am Nov 03 2009

What an amazing life it must be at the bottom of the barrel. Lets put the boot in rather than ask why and help the people who are there.

pete   #115   09:06 am Nov 03 2009

Some people on benefits are genuine, others however are milking it. I know people who have been on the sickness benefit for years and they are quit capable of doing hard manual outdoor work on their own gardens and properties. Others I know get an overseas job, and put their spouse on the DPB.

The hard bit for national is to sort the sheep from the goats. Talk prior to an election is cheap and you will probably find that it will be just as cheap to keep the status quo.

A bit like their law and order election promises. Nothing has really changed, judges are still out in force with the wet bus tickets.

Redge   #114   09:06 am Nov 03 2009

@ IHDisciple #102

Well, I hope that you dont have children as we dont need more people with attitudes like yours. Why dont you move to Switzerland, Im sure you would fit right in there with your way of thinking.

Ruth   #113   11:54 pm Nov 02 2009

A society is ultimately judged by how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable members.

Maybe to some people dole bludgers dont seem weak or vulnerable.. but if i had to choose between part of my tax going to a beneficiarie.. or someone breaking into my house at night so that they can feed their kids.. i know what i would choose.

No i'm not on a benefit or ever have been.

Megs   #112   10:40 pm Nov 02 2009

Good on the Nats for getting tougher on people who don't deserve to be on some benefits. Those who are entitled needn't worry.

Families who choose to have more children than they can afford to support (without government assistance) are irresponsible. Contraception is a lot cheaper than childrearing.

Jena   #111   09:53 pm Nov 02 2009

Start where the real problem is - why are so many youth not working , yet not targeted? I would rather support a mother to stay at home and prepare for her child's time at home, meals etc than demand she try and join the current depressed job market. And there are a lot of people without other commitments that can't find work, yet would love one.

justice   #110   08:22 pm Nov 02 2009

Yes, the couch loving daytime TV parasitic WFF DPB brigade are well over due for a boot up the backside! Living off the backs of others should be an offence and this country has plenty of them. Some have awfully big backsides to boot.

germain   #109   07:35 pm Nov 02 2009

Hahahaha, just another silly, funny, unworkable plan.... if there are people so dead-set on living on the D.P.B. then, under this proposal, all they have to do is have a child every 6 years, to keep receiving the payments. Extra payments for every child also. These bureaucrats, every 3 years we get a new crop of morons mouthing off like they actually have some fantastic insight... I say, just make New Zealand a company, and get Donald Trump to run it.. probably do quite good then.

A mum   #108   07:24 pm Nov 02 2009

I am a mother of a 20 month old - I work part time, study part time and take care of my kid - If I can do it, anyone can. I was brought up by extremley hard working but working class parents who worked their a$$e$ off to provide for us. If you want things in life you have to work for them ! simple as that.

Ken   #107   07:13 pm Nov 02 2009

Megan #37

Start a family, most of it will take care of itself if one of you works. There is usually an excuse not to start one. I am not saying be irresponsible about it but in your case just do it. Don't wait around for things to be "right". As long as you have your head screwed on and love each other, and perhaps are say over 25 then go for it.

Don't miss out on the best thing that could ever happen to you.


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