Calculated cruelty

Written By: - Date published: 12:44 pm, August 13th, 2024 - 36 comments
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Something strange has happened in Aotearoa New Zealand since National won power last October.

The unemployment rate has increased from 3.9% to 4.6%.

Over the past year the number of people who are unemployed has increased by 33,000 to 143,000 and the total number of underutilised people seeking more work has risen by 66,000 to 377,000.

What can the cause of this bout of bludgerism be? Could it be the gleeful slashing of funding for Government departments and the resulting mass redundancies although David Seymour thought that even more cuts should be made.

Could it be the damage caused to the Construction Industry by National’s decision to apply the brakes to Kainga Ora’s building of much needed social housing?

Could it be the flow on effects to local businesses as people under financial pressure cut back on spending?

Judging from yesterday’s announcement none of these things are responsible. Instead the Government believes that it has to wield a big stick to get these newly discovered slackers back to work.

The Sanctions regime is to be strengthened, Jobseeker Support recipients will have to reapply every six months, and if they breach requirements they could be required to perform community work or have half of their benefit put onto a payment card that can only be used for essentials.

But you have to wonder why they would make such a big deal about this, given that Christopher Luxon accepts that only a small number of those on the Jobseeker benefit aren’t meeting their obligations.

From Radio New Zealand:

Opposition parties have slammed the government’s move to crackdown on beneficiaries, calling it a “reheated failed approach”.

‘Work check-ins’ and the initial sanction regime was already in force. Cabinet had agreed to further bolster it from early 2025, meaning jobseekers would have to reapply for the benefit every six months – instead of annually – and any transgressions would remain on record for two years, instead of one.

The law change would also allow new sanctions, such as mandatory community work or money management payment cards.

And in attempting to justify the policy National have come up with a few misrepresentations of the truth, also known as lies. In particular Louise Upson claimed yesterday that the Welfare Expert Advisory Group had stated that sanctions could encourage people into work when it said nothing of the sort.

From Radio New Zealand:

[Upson] had pointed to a report from the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG), claiming it said sanctions could be effective in encouraging movement from benefits and into work, and a lack of sanctions only entrenched benefit dependency.

However, that quote did not appear in the report, and several former members of the group disagreed with Upston, saying she was referring to a minority of views while the majority of research showed increasing sanctions was counterproductive for low-income families.

And Upson persisted in suggesting that unemployment was evidence of individual fault, not structural issues with the economy. Again from Radio New Zealand

… Upston said despite unemployment figures rising to three-year high recently, “there are jobs out there”.

“But I appreciate that it’s a much tougher labour market than the previous government had. What we do want to see is that people are taking the steps to improve their chances of finding a job. There is no sanction because you can’t find a job, it’s if you’re not taking the steps, not taking your work obligations seriously.

This is performative and calculated cruelty designed to make some poor people’s lives worse and all so that the Government can feed its base. It reflects the complete indifference showed to the poor by Ruth Richardson’s mother of all budgets that set benefit levels at below the minimum level to allow those receiving a benefit to have a basic level of decency in their lives.

36 comments on “Calculated cruelty ”

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  1. tc 1
    13 August 2024 at 1:09 pm

    Coalition of chaos's campaign of calculated cruelty crafts another chapter.

    They really are full of C's.

  3. thinker 3
    13 August 2024 at 2:24 pm

    Was thinking about the parliamentary protocol handbook.

    How about sanctions for not fronting up to the media? Or to be outed "…twisting the truth to set a trap for fools".

    Traffic light warnings for not turning up when the house drew your Bill to debate.

    Boot camp for saying there are 14 layers of management, including non-managers like Board members and patients.

  4. That_guy 4
    13 August 2024 at 2:48 pm

    Given Luxon's comical lack of knowledge on the details of what he's actually doing, it's just plain cruelty. Calculations require information going in to them.

    • Tiger Mountain 4.1
      14 August 2024 at 7:47 am

      Has Baldrick ever read the WEAG Report? Does he know about benefit abatement rates? The humiliating reality of dealing with MSD/WINZ? Doubtful, given he cannot even quote core benefit rates accurately.

      Luxury Luxon is a classic example of why the separation of State and religion needs to be maintained in this country. As a prosperity christian he essentially does not care about the poor who will certainly not be joining him in his version of the afterlife.

  5. James Simpson 5
    13 August 2024 at 4:21 pm

    I agree with your post and commend you on its contents.

    But I do question why you consider the increase in unemployment in New Zealand from 3.9% to 4.6% to be strange?

    The 2023 PREFU stated that:

    ….the unemployment rate forecast to peak at 5.4% in early 2025

    https://www.treasury.govt.nz/publications/efu/pre-election-economic-and-fiscal-update-2023

    Far from being strange, the unemployment rate is is almost precisely what was predicted prior to the election before this mob of crooks were elected.

  6. TeWhareWhero 6
    13 August 2024 at 6:19 pm

    With a bubble-headed corporatchnik in league with a plastic libertarian and a self-serving peacock it's hard to predict how much more dire things could get. Their mix of incompetence and viciousness gives the opposition has an open goal but they're still in the changing room arguing about tactics.

  7. newsense 7
    14 August 2024 at 2:32 am

    Similar thing, but different party.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350376643/ot-apologises-acting-well-below-expectations-after-auckland-counsellor-scrapped

    How do these people get fired?

    Chour is out of her depth and probably off her rocker. Time for the contracts that come and go to be her ministerial warrant.

    When ACT talk about people using government contracts as cash cows, it’s because that’s what they’d do and why they do what they do.

    Time for pressure on these incompetents. Not waiting until later.

    Simply saying- all the charter schools will be canned and all their dealings will retrospectively be made public and subject to the OIA as much as any other school.

    Keep the pressure on. Don’t let the monsters win.

    • Descendant Of Smith 7.1
      14 August 2024 at 6:56 am

      Childcare subsidy, accommodation supplement and residential care subsidy are three cash cow payments that spring to mind.

      Those beneficiaries (child care providers, landlords and rest-home owners) fund national though.

    • Rodel 7.2
      14 August 2024 at 10:39 am

      I coudn't agree more…especially, 'Simply saying- all the charter schools will be canned and all their dealings will retrospectively be made public and subject to the OIA as much as any other school.' It's time Labour got some guts and pushed back.

      • Belladonna 7.2.1
        14 August 2024 at 11:29 am

        Today's coverage in the Herald referenced the contracts being for 10 years – so very difficult for Labour to commit to canning them immediately (assuming they're elected in 2026). And this is backed up by the government website

        https://www.charterschools.govt.nz/about-charter-schools/key-features/

        Labour is highly unlikely to retroactively enact legislation to break commercial contracts.

        As far as transparency is concerned, the outline above says that the Charter schools will have at least as great (if not greater) transparency as State schools.

        • lprent 7.2.1.1
          14 August 2024 at 3:13 pm

          As far as transparency is concerned, the outline above says that the Charter schools will have at least as great (if not greater) transparency as State schools.

          Ah no.. That sounds like something you just made up. But I guess you said it because either haven’t read your link, you don’t know what existing schools have as transparency, or you’re being a simple parrot for silly propaganda.

          As a comment, based on previous charter schools, the most common reason for a contract to be broken is that the school fails after they have spent a lot of government handouts with minimal actual success, and often a great deal of harm.

          In which case the contract can and probably will be terminated. That is in your link.

          The only public transparency appears to be this

          Complaints about a charter school can be made to an independent reviewer (arranged by the charter school) or an Ombudsman.

          Which bearing in mind the already extant paucity of funding and the decreased funding to Ombudsman, just means that there will only be reviewers appointed by the charter school. In other words paid for by the charter school. Rubber stamps to ignore complaints is what I suspect will happen.

          There is no access to the government ministry responsible for the funding for complaints. That is a distinct drop in transparency.

          The other difficulty will be that the contracts, including the obligations of the charter schools, will not be public information accessible by OIA. That is deemed as commercial information.

          For the same reason it sounds like the ERO reviews will also not be visible in public, as they currently are for public and existing private schools. The contracts are being viewed as private contracts despite the usage of public money to setup and operate the charter schools.

          In effect the contractual obligations will only be visible to the Charter School Agency (probably staffed by charter school grifter advocates) and the possible grifters setting up the charter schools. I say grifters because you cannot prove that they are not, without public transparency on the contracts and performance.

          By the sound of it, even the auditor general may have issues doing close review of the efficacy of the public expenditure because they may have a problem being able to access the contractual obligations.

          This means that effectively that charter schools lack the essential public scrutiny about their operation, actual success, probable failures, and wasteful spending. It all gets locked behind a custom agency probably staffed by acoloytes and Actoids, and measured by contracts that aren’t visible.

          Just like the detailed information about charter schools we have now.

          https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED2406/S00040/ombudsman-investigates-complaint-re-charter-schools-oia-request.htm

          It sounds like a heaven mode for grifters. Looks like an Act party policy to me.

        • Drowsy M. Kram 7.2.1.2
          14 August 2024 at 6:19 pm

          Staff
          Sponsors may employ staff who are not teachers with a practising certificate, but they must hold a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT). LAT holders employed at charter schools will have added flexibility as they can be employed on a permanent basis and will be subject to Teaching Council disciplinary processes but not competency processes.

          In the lead-up to the 2017 general election, three political parties (Labour, NZF and Green) campaigned on introducing legislation to abolish charter schools.

          A Labour-led coalition government was formed in October 2017, and NZ's charter school programme ended less than a year later.

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_schools_in_New_Zealand#Abolition_and_transition_to_state-integrated_schools

          Our CoC govt is intent on reintroducing/reviving and indeed expanding the previous charter schools programme. Time will tell whether commercial contracts can future-proof the charter schools programme in NZ – like rust, the agenda of private capital never sleeps.

          UK teacher warns charter schools will increase privatisation of education [12 Aug 2024]
          Seymour said every school was a mix of public and private because schools were “filled with products and services from private businesses”.

          In Houston, back-to-school means back-to-privatization [12 Aug 2024]

          How Liberal Anti-Racism Was Used to Privatize Public Schools
          [31 Jan 2024]

          Charter Schools Can’t Claim to Be Public Anymore [13 Sept 2023]
          Indeed, they were supposed to be public schools. But anyone who has been watching the devolution of charter schools could see this coming from a mile away.

          Charter schools, which were originally proposed to be district-run, innovative public schools, have since morphed into national charter school chains, Christian nationalist schools, and facades for for-profit corporations.

          Of course it could never happen in Aotearoa New Zealand.

          • Belladonna 7.2.1.2.1
            14 August 2024 at 6:45 pm

            You are, of course, perfectly free to not send your kids to charter schools.
            Mind you – given the appalling educational stats of the kids attending the current state system – it's not surprising that parents want alternatives.

            The historical Labour-led coalition reversing the charter school legislation is exactly why the current government is going for 10-year contracts. Still nothing from Labour that they plan to break these (nor do I expect that they will)

            • Drowsy M. Kram 7.2.1.2.1.1
              14 August 2024 at 6:59 pm

              given the appalling educational stats of the kids attending the current state system

              The “respectful centrist” comments again.

              Parliament has also been incredibly busy. From putting pressure on the Minister to sort our immigration settings to calling others to account for our appalling education statistics.
              https://www.ericastanfordmp.co.nz/vote

              B, do you believe that our CoC govt's ‘refreshed’ charter schools programme will improve "the appalling educational stats of the kids attending the current state system" (link?) Time may tell, but I won’t be holding my breath.

              • Belladonna …
                14 August 2024 at 7:48 pm

                I don't know, and neither do you.
                But, unlike you, I'm willing to give it a try. It seems hard to imagine that the results could be worse than what we currently have.

                I've been lucky, in that I can afford private tuition to supplement the dreadfully poor teaching of the basics, in the elementary years. Years when teachers literally said to me "X is plodding along in his maths group" – entirely unfazed by the fact that X was 2 years behind his age group in maths (at age 8) and drifting further every month. When X was taught by a competent teacher, (private tutor) he made enormous strides, and was easily able to keep up in his Intermediate and secondary-school classes – not excelling, but at the high-end of average.

                This (private tuition) isn't an option for many parents – and *should not be needed*. The fact that it is (and my son is a very common case) – is an indictment on the NZ education system, the PSA and its members.

                So, I'm not exactly on board with the hysterical resistance from the PSA to new maths curriculum, and to allowing parents some choice about their kids education (charter schools). Their members (multiple over several years) failed my kid. Why should I trust them?

                And, my attitude is widespread across middle NZ.

                If you want evidence (although it's been widely covered across media over the last decade) – try this.

                A stronger correlation exists for UE, though the national average is much lower (38.9 per cent). The proportion leaving private schools with UE was almost twice that, at 76 per cent, while for integrated school leavers it was 58.9 per cent. For state school leavers, it was a shade over one in three (34 per cent)

                https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/how-nz-secondary-schools-rank-on-ncea-level-3-and-university-entrance-results/ITJFFEL225GATGRSI464TRYAE4/

                Now, no one is arguing that all school leavers should go on to Uni – but a reasonably high percentage of them should be qualified to do so, if they choose. Otherwise, only the wealthy will qualify to attend (which I'm sure, as a good Marxist, you'd deplore).

                Note the 34% from the state schools. And this includes leavers from high-end high-decile schools like Auckland Grammar. What do you think the actual results are in Decile 1 schools?

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  14 August 2024 at 9:38 pm

                  Charter schools won’t fix our educational failings
                  [23 March 2024]
                  All this will take time, energy and resources. There isn’t, famously, a lot of free cash lying around. The last thing National can afford is to waste huge amounts of it on something entirely tangential to the educational task at hand.

                  But, unlike you, I'm willing to give it a try.

                  Were/are you though – willing to give charter schools a try – personally?

                  Imho, political proponents of charter schools aren't fussed about truth. Earlier this year, Seymour characterised school attendance as being "in free fall" – this despite the percentage of students in "regular attendance" generally increasing since pandemic restrictions eased:

                  Term 1: 2022 46%; 2023 59.5% [+13.5%]; 2024 61.7% [+2.2%]
                  Term 2: 2022 39.8%; 2023 47.1 [+7.3%]; 2024 53.1 [+6%]
                  Term 3: 2022 46%; 2023 45.9% [-0.1%]
                  Term 4: 2022 50.1%; 2023 53.6% [+3.5%]

                  "In free fall" versus 'increasing' – you be the judge. I reckon Seymour couldn't lie straight in bed.

                  Why has the Act Party been such a big proponent of charter schools?
                  The Act Party’s ideology of minimal government interference in private citizens’ lives means it has long supported charter schools, including in the previous iteration, when Seymour was involved in the pilot programme as under-secretary for education. “It’s a pure form where we say ‘these are the outcomes we want’ and then [they] get the autonomy,” Seymour said in the press conference yesterday.

                  Doubts about value, results from charter schools – education figures [14 May 2024]
                  The schools were very successful when they ran from 2014 to 2018, he [Seymour] said: "There was overwhelming success in the previous charter model".

                  "The level of reporting was vastly stronger and better than state schools and in actual fact this is a model that leads to greater accountability than any other model of school in New Zealand," he claimed.

                  But, the Ministry of Education concluded that last time around the monitoring was inadequate and apart from two schools, there was no independent evidence they were doing a better job than comparable state schools – in fact, their results might have been inaccurate or even fabricated.

                  • Belladonna …
                    15 August 2024 at 8:38 am

                    Those who are happy with the state system can remain there.

                    Despite literally decades of evidence that State Integrated schools perform better (on the only measure that matters, educational results for kids), the MoE and the teachers unions have resolutely refused to learn any lessons, and change their operating models.

                    It's unsurprising that parents (the ones voting for this government) have concluded that they are certainly unwilling, and possibly unable, to do so.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      15 August 2024 at 10:48 am

                      Despite literally decades of evidence that State Integrated schools perform better…

                      Are charter schools "State Integrated schools"? Seymour's charter schools can employ unregistered teachers on a permanent basis.

                      Sponsors may employ staff who are not teachers with a practising certificate, but they must hold a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT). LAT holders employed at charter schools will have added flexibility as they can be employed on a permanent basis and will be subject to Teaching Council disciplinary processes but not competency processes.
                      https://www.charterschools.govt.nz/about-charter-schools/key-features/ [B’s original link @7.2.1]

                      Who can apply for a LAT?
                      A person who holds a LAT may not be appointed to a permanent teaching position.

                      What is the evidence that NZ charter schools perform better?

                      I’ve been lucky…

                      Some lucky/wealthy parents/patients and the like who can "afford private tuition", private healthcare, etc., will avail themselves (naturally), but private capital provides services for profit – follow the money.

                      Why has the Act Party been such a big proponent of charter schools?
                      The Act Party’s ideology of minimal government interference in private citizens’ lives means it has long supported charter schools, including in the previous iteration, when Seymour was involved in the pilot programme as under-secretary for education. “It’s a pure form where we say ‘these are the outcomes we want’ and then [they] get the autonomy,” Seymour said in the press conference yesterday.

                    • PB …
                      15 August 2024 at 12:48 pm

                      Actually that’s not correct. One of the more scary things of the charter school system this time around is that the Minister can direct a state school to become a charter school. So no, it’s not just as simple as you suggest.

                  • Belladonna …
                    15 August 2024 at 11:20 am

                    You can't have evidence of charter schools performing better, over a sustained period, until you have charter schools.

                    I realize this flies in the face of your Marxist belief system – but State education (in NZ, at least) is measurably a failure against all other alternatives. It fails against comparative education at all levels (other than Decile 10 – where the state school is effectively a private school based on house purchase price – cf Auckland Grammar where the headmaster regularly tells the MoE to mind it's own business).

                    Your quote about unregistered teachers may be evidence of union-busting, but it's no evidence of poor quality teaching. Maori kura kaupapa have had decades of exemptions (limited authority to teach) allowing people with significant Te Reo skills, but who don't hold a teaching certificate, to practice.

                    Meanwhile, teachers who are demonstrably incompetent (as in, they can't teach kids) but hold a teaching certificate, have no sanctions applied. This is more evidence that the teacher's unions are all about protecting their members, rather than the best outcomes for students.

                    Still no evidence that there are profit-driven corporations lined up applying for charter school licenses…. If it's that widespread, then I'm sure you'll be able to provide at least one link.

                    • Incognito …
                      15 August 2024 at 12:38 pm

                      Still no evidence that there are profit-driven corporations lined up applying for charter school licenses…. If it’s that widespread, then I’m sure you’ll be able to provide at least one link.

                      You’re being disingenuous because the names of applicants are kept confidential until the application process has been completed.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      15 August 2024 at 4:14 pm

                      You can't have evidence of charter schools performing better, over a sustained period, until you have charter schools.

                      I realize this flies in the face of your Marxist belief system…

                      Nope, like many such comments, it flies in the face of facts and logic.

                      NZ has had charter schools – charter school political proponent-in-chief Seymour has claimed (then and now, ad naseum) that charter schools would be and were a great success.
                      Are you suggesting Seymour's claims are evidence-free? smiley

                      Are charter schools "State Integrated schools"?

                      Not to mention (thanks PB) that "the Minister can direct a state school to become a charter school", although this is unlikely to be a concern for those lucky few who can afford to go private.

                      Remember the good ol’ days, when education in NZ was largely free, from pre-school to PhD. Apparently we can't afford that now, despite promises of neoliberal prosperity.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      15 August 2024 at 4:38 pm

                      Oops – ad nauseam smiley

                      Press (Christchurch, N.Z.). Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :"We'll have to do something about the Banks-Dotcom affair, and about your pokies deal with SkyCity John!…" … 3 May 2012. Evans, Malcolm Paul, 1945- :Digital cartoons. Ref: DCDL-0021121. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/30655519

                  • Belladonna …
                    15 August 2024 at 8:33 pm

                    It's your Marxist belief in the high quality of state education which flies in the face of reality.

                    But, as you've reminded me, there is no point in arguing with those blinded by political partisanship.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      15 August 2024 at 9:43 pm

                      Are you suggesting Seymour's claims are evidence-free? smiley

                      Are charter schools "State Integrated schools"?

                      Crickets.

                      It's your Marxist belief in the high quality of state education which flies in the face of reality.

                      Hmm, a certain"respectful centrist" seems to be defaulting to bad faith arguments and fabrication – disappointing, but not surprising.

                      I've made no statements about the quality of state education in this thread – that's all in your head. I could give you the benefit of the doubt – that you believe the nonsense you've just written – but why?

                      But, as you've reminded me, there is no point in arguing with those blinded by political partisanship.

                      Re "partisanship", with centrists like B, who needs NAct supporters smiley

  8. MichaelP 8
    14 August 2024 at 4:27 am

    "The law change would also allow new sanctions, such as mandatory community work or money management payment cards."

    It would be interesting to see the mandatory community work sanction tested in the courts. My instinct would be that if the work is mandatory rather than someone volunteering then the worker would have to be paid at least the minimum wage?

    I'm sure the Government has thought about this and decided after advice it isn't a problem legally but I reckon it could be.

  9. tWig 9
    14 August 2024 at 10:49 am

    BHNews covered this issue very well last night (from 6.50). Here's the link to BHNs clip.

    Points they made: why such a big, and expensive stick for the small minority of people who abuse the jobseeker benefit?

  10. Ad 10
    14 August 2024 at 1:09 pm

    +1000 Mickey truly heartfelt

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