Welfare conference 'too pricey for those in industry'

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Government ministers have been criticised for effectively endorsing an $895-a-seat welfare conference that many in the industry could not afford to attend.

The Conferenz event, on for the past two days in Wellington, looked at whether the welfare system needed an overhaul.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett opened the event and Community and Voluntary Minister Tariana Turia was scheduled to give a speech.

Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty said the ministers' tacit endorsement of the event was concerning.

''We're concerned that they would endorse something that's so out of the range of not only people on benefits, but people working with people on benefits.''

Delahunty said she had been touring community groups around the country and people were concerned and wanted to debate the issues around welfare reform.

''The ministers mandating the $895 conference is sending the wrong message about who gets to decide on this issue.''

Bennet said: ''I could have declined the invitation and been criticised for not fronting up, but quite frankly fronting up is what I do and whether people have paid five dollars, five hundred dollars or nothing at all, I'll keep talking to New Zealanders openly and honestly about welfare reform.''

Members of the Alternative Welfare Working Group joined with a number of community groups to hold their own conference on Monday, which cost $8.95 to attend, in opposition.

With up to 80 attendees the alternate conference was reportedly three times the size of the original.

Yesterday, up to 30 opponents of the Conferenz event were protesting outside the Amora Hotel where it was being held.

Kay Brereton, of the Wellington People's Centre, attended both conferences. She said only attended the Conferenz event because she was invited to speak and would not have paid to go.

There were social service workers and city council representatives there and they were particularly worried about the impact of welfare reform in the provinces, she said.

''I spoke about the welfare reform that I'm currently seeing being rolled out as opposed to the welfare reform that's proposed. Quite frankly people were quite shocked.''

Beneficiaries themselves attended the alternative conference which was important because  their opinion had been ''missing in the whole debate''.

- © Fairfax NZ News