$46.25 per week Minister!?!

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, March 19th, 2015 - 6 comments
Categories: child discipline, child welfare, Economy, human rights, public services, Social issues - Tags:

Minister for Disability Issues, Nicky Wagner recently wanted to hear from families, children and service providers involved with supporting disabled children as part of a voluntary review.

In fact she may have been so busy gathering information (see previous link) that she failed to catch up on the really important news in her area.

 

A Child Poverty Action Group report on disabled children, being launched in Auckland today, says children supported by the child disability allowance almost trebled from 17,600 in 1998 to 45,800 in 2009, but were then cut back to just 34,500 last June.

The cut has been achieved both by tightening criteria and by simply not publicising the allowance.

The allowance is unusual because it is not income-tested and pays a child’s principal caregiver a flat amount, currently $46.25 a week, to recognise the “extra care and attention” that a disabled child needs. (emphasis added)

Read whole article here

On the other hand when you read the Government’s Disability Action Plan, maybe she is knee deep in this development. It does appear to fit one of the overall strategies:

  • increase employment and economic opportunities.
  • ensure personal safety
  • transform the disability support system
  • promote access in the community.

One way the Government is transforming the disability support system is by keeping quiet about allowances desperately needed by those caring for disabled children.

‘Shhhhhhhh don’t give it to them unless they ask for it, by name.’

How much will the Minister’s next pay rise be? And how many disabled children is she juggling between work?

$46.25 per week Minister!?!

6 comments on “$46.25 per week Minister!?! ”

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  1. ScottGN 1
    19 March 2015 at 3:12 pm

    This is the sort of crap that was a hallmark of the appalling Shipley government. Voters couldn’t wait to throw her out in the end. Let’s hope the results are the same for Key.

    • Macro 1.1
      19 March 2015 at 4:26 pm

      Yes! – but then we had the semblance of a media that actually publicised Shipley’s appalling abuse of beneficiaries, the disabled and the poor. It will be all quiet on the Western Front with regards this and all the other crap Key and his pack of miscreants hand out. But we do know about 10 bridges for Northland! Now isn’t that fantastic news.
      Besides Nicky has to save a few dollars to pay for the increased air fares to London.

  2. Weepus beard 2
    19 March 2015 at 11:49 pm

    To be honest I’ve put Tracey to the right of that weird right-of-left area occupied by Pagani, Mallard, Cosgrove, Bassett, Williams, Quin, Shane Jones, Davis, Nash, Goff, and maybe (and increasingly) Shearer.

    But this post is genuinely compassionate. Well done Tracey.

    I might have to have a rethink.

    • tracey 2.1
      20 March 2015 at 5:11 am

      Yikes@ comparing me to folks I have regularly criticised here.

      Thanks for the thanks.

  3. Crashcart 3
    20 March 2015 at 7:52 am

    When our son was born with Spinabyfida my wife and I had no idea this existed. We got lucky that my wife looked up a support group on line and it was mentioned on one of their forums. Still to this day it surprises us how often we speak to other people who’s kids are older than ours and have disabilities that have no idea there is this support available.

  4. Atiawa 4
    23 March 2015 at 9:52 pm

    Seek and you shall find. Ask and you shall receive ( Easter is near).

    It seems that whenever the right secure’s the reins of power, any welfare entitlement requires the unfortunate recipient to inquire/beg.
    I well remember some dark days in my life during the 90’s in NZ and requiring the assistance of the then Dept of Social Welfare. If I never asked for what I was unknowingly and legally entitled too I would not receive it, which, according to a friend who had lived in the UK, was the opposite to how that nations welfare service’s treated its beneficiaries. According to him it was open & transparent and included things like free dental on the National Health.

    Wagner, Bennett & their scumbag mates, like playing god and we should all be grateful.