paula bennett

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Smirks & inversions

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, February 13th, 2014 - 42 comments

The Salvation Army’s latest State of the Nation Report is damning on child poverty & unaffordable housing.  The government is misrepresenting the conclusions, reversing the main focus on failings, and focusing on the positives: the spin is repeated in an NZ Herald editorial.

Welfare profiteers

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, January 22nd, 2014 - 33 comments

Paula Bennett’s punitive welfare reforms are bad enough (pressuring people into unsuitable work, or off benefits without alternative support); then there’s privatising the scheme by outsourcing enforced work placement to private companies  –  worse still, to overseas corporates. Devaluing & dehumanising people, communities, & nurturing activities. [Update: APM conflicts of interest]

Polity: Some evidence about welfare

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, January 22nd, 2014 - 106 comments

This post by polity certainly adds some grist to the debate on unconditional basic income (UBI) and kids. It looks at the example provided by the Cherokee in a natural quasi-experiment in North Carolina on how kids grow up. Being generous and acting early pays off.

The politics of food: Oxfam report

Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, January 16th, 2014 - 10 comments

Some MSM reports crow about positive economic indicators, & decreases in the time people spend on benefits. Such statistics fail to show inequalities, & struggles of people on low incomes.  An Oxfam comparative international report on food security is not good news for NZ, or the world.

Paula Bennett wastes taxpayers money on drug testing

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, January 13th, 2014 - 108 comments

The first results of Paula Bennett’s drug testing of beneficiaries has been released.  Only 0.27% of the 8,000 beneficiaries required to be tested either failed or refused to take the test.  The testing is a colossal waste of money but is performing an important political role by making the Government look like it is being tough on beneficiaries.

Making sense of the (un)employment stats: Census 2013

Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, December 12th, 2013 - 22 comments

Statistics NZ Census quick stats page is both useful and puzzling. Nearly a 3rd of adults are not in the “labour force”, unemployment stats mask true unemployment, the young and low income women particularly are struggling, distorted occupation categories, and more….. [Update: Occupation categories]

What chance is there of a bipartisan approach to child poverty?

Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, December 9th, 2013 - 354 comments

The findings of the child poverty monitoring report are being released today.  One in four or 265,000 children live in poverty and one in ten live in severe poverty.  Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills has called for a bipartisan political approach to the issue but Paula Bennett has replied by saying that she is incredibly proud of the Government’s record.  How can you be incredibly proud of allowing one in four children to live in poverty?

Child Poverty in New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, December 8th, 2013 - 212 comments

The Herald on Sunday this morning has produced a series of chilling articles showing that a computer glitch has caused the under reporting of abuse notifications, and a worrying increase in admission to hospital of children suffering form third world diseases.  And the Children’s Commissioner had to secure funding from a private trust so that the data for this report could be collated.  It makes you wonder if the Government wants to know the extent of child poverty in Aotearoa.

Coat-tail of Many Colours

Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, November 22nd, 2013 - 72 comments

Te Reo Putake speculates on exactly what plan that National and John Key have to distort the MMP review and Iain Lee Galloway’s private members bill so that it allows them to stay in power. Most probably by gifting Crazy Colin and the Conservatives with several chances to get several partners into parliament while discarding the husks of their former coalition partners.

Proud to be a westie?

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, November 22nd, 2013 - 56 comments

Formerly proud to be a westie National MP Paula Bennett has decided to seek to become the MP for the new Upper Harbour seat.  Does this mean that she will now give up wearing leopard skins?

Draft electoral boundary changes released

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, November 21st, 2013 - 105 comments

The draft boundaries for the 2014 election have been released.  Down south there are significant changes in Christchurch.   In West Auckland the changes are most pronounced, with a new North Harbour seat being proposed.

Poverty, women & rape culture

Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, November 19th, 2013 - 132 comments

In our highly gendered socio-economic system that has institutionalised poverty, gendered violence, sexual violence and rape culture, low income women are multiply disadvantaged.  Trigger warning: This post addresses some difficult and sensitive issues about poverty, women and rape culture. Subsequent comments will be tightly moderated.

Outsourcing poverty: Paula Bennett’s shame

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, October 29th, 2013 - 51 comments

A charity is taking on the funding of the essential work on monitoring poverty, in the face of Paula Bennett, Bill English and John Key et al failing to do their job: a return to Dickensian & Edwardian times.

Because it’s all about “me”

Written By: - Date published: 6:24 pm, October 22nd, 2013 - 22 comments

Cunliffe talked of moving from a “from a cost-based to a values-based” strategy. We need a new narrative: valuing all, including children of those on benefits; about long term benefits for all of less inequality & poverty, and more affordable housing & better public transport, & more.

Your Brighter Future: Burn.

Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, October 2nd, 2013 - 15 comments

“I just utter one fear…”

Remember that?

Vulnerable Children: The big picture

Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, September 18th, 2013 - 43 comments

Yesterday Paula Bennett introduced the First Reading of the Vulnerable Children Bill.  Nat MPs separated child abuse from issues of poverty and income inequality.  Opposition MPs from Mana, Labour & The Greens called the Nats on it, arguing for the bigger picture.

Paula Bennett plans legislative witch hunt

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, August 18th, 2013 - 87 comments

WitchhuntPaula Bennett’s latest idea is to remove the rights of natural justice for state employees who do not take the proposed child abuser vetting test, even though the test has not even been designed.  Even for Paula the stupidity of this idea is extreme …

Another diversion – “suspected” abusers

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, August 13th, 2013 - 74 comments

Time for another law-and-order-tough-on-crime distraction! Look! Over there!!

Poverty Watch 42

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, August 3rd, 2013 - 86 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the CPAG report on the links between poverty and child abuse, and why it shows that government policy is misguided. Green MP Holly Walker tries to get a straight answer out of Paula Bennett.

Beneficiary bashing crocodile tears

Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, July 26th, 2013 - 144 comments

The Nats have created a beneficiary bashing culture so rigid and so nasty that crazy stuff happens. They cry some crocodile tears about it – but only for cases publicised by the media.

War on social security: demonisation of beneficiaries

Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, July 15th, 2013 - 275 comments

Sweeping changes to NZ’s Social Security system begin today.  This is a major shift from the the 1938 Social Security Act: a shift from support of those in need, to treating them as potential criminals, self-serving addicts, and malingerers. Shame on John Key & Paula Bennett! [Update: RNZ & BAF & AAAP]

The stealthy dismantling of democracy

Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, April 12th, 2013 - 27 comments

John Key’s government has been gradually dismantling NZ’s democratic processes. Various activities this week are a major part of a frightening shift: a Bill enabling mining conservation land; punitive social security Act; Key’s control over NZ’s “intelligence community”.

NRT: Paula Bennett giggles at child poverty

Written By: - Date published: 4:34 pm, April 11th, 2013 - 20 comments

The government doesn’t measure child poverty, so has no way to tell if it is getting better or worse. Hilarious right? Paula Bennett certainly thinks so. “Gosh!”

Security: social, financial, personal, digital

Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, April 10th, 2013 - 18 comments

Yesterday more planks in the NAct raft amounting to major changes, were before the House.  These undermine democracy, fairness, the security and rights of individuals, and increase hardship for those on low incomes.  Ardern on Social Security. Cunliffe on child support, privacy breaches & trust.

How austerity is destroying Britain… coming soon near you

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments

A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.

Real social security; real jobs – not bennie bashing

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, March 27th, 2013 - 55 comments

Opposition MPs (e.g. Ardern & Mathers) and Sue Bradford highlight that the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill destroys lives, furthers NAct’s elitist agenda, & is more propaganda than social security or job creation.

When Paula Bennett is positive about a group of beneficiaries, be suspicious

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, March 26th, 2013 - 47 comments

Paula Bennett has found one group of beneficiaries who she doesn’t think are bludging scum!  Surely this is a feelgood story, and not a workaround tactic to bash other beneficiaries, right?  Bueller?

Punitive, anti-beneficiary Bill- opposition needed!

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, March 20th, 2013 - 48 comments

The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill second reading is first up on the provisional order paper for today. It is a further step in Paula Bennett & NAct’s vicious, punitive, bennie-bashing campaign. MPs are urged to vote against it!

ImperatorFish: Bennett announces drought relief get-tough measures

Written By: - Date published: 12:56 pm, March 7th, 2013 - 9 comments

Will farmers be required to take mandatory drug tests, show evidence of looking for alternate sources of income and have their drought relief money docked if they fail to answer phone calls from Work and Income?

Welfare is not a pissing contest

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, March 3rd, 2013 - 154 comments

Why must we turn welfare, an important safety net and part of the social fabric / contract of our country, into a stupid pissing match about a minister’s “reputation”?

Bully Camps not the “Answer” for youth

Written By: - Date published: 6:34 pm, February 21st, 2013 - 61 comments

Boot camps by their nature are bully camps.  I know some young people enjoy the test of their physical skills but for those that don’t, they work by psychological pressure.  I haven’t read the text book that says kids thrive being shouted at, marched about the place and having their heads shaved, and what are we teaching them about the State?  That we accept bullying?  That the Government reserve the right to humiliate you?

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