Mountain Tui: Beneficiary sanctions & targets don’t add up
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- Date published:
1:23 pm, August 13th, 2024 - 9 comments
Categories: benefits, child welfare, Christopher Luxon, Social issues, uncategorized -
Tags: beneficiaries, KPIs, Louise Upton, sanctions
This is an excerpt from Mountain Tui’s substack post
National’s beneficiary sanctions announcement wasn’t really new news.
Most of it was announced as part of National’s pre-election suite.
In September 2023, Stuff headlined the traffic light system with: Advocates see trouble with National’s ‘traffic light’ plan to cut benefits.
And yes, that included sanctions such as ‘money management’ i.e. the cashless payment card that Upton said would control what beneficiaries can buy – and where.
Upton said the sanction measures would help child poverty targets. Questionable – especially as National was told their beneficiary indexation changes would push 13,000 more children in poverty. And in response, the government quietly shrunk child poverty targets last month.
Plus, she noted ~1500 people had their benefits cancelled last quarter, but has no idea what happened to them.
And when asked if there was any global evidence of sanctions’ effectiveness, Minister Upton misrepresented an MSD study, saying it proved that sanctions help with motivation and getting people back to work.
Except that’s not what the study said at all.
In a disturbing pattern of Ministerial misrepresentation, Upton had actually been corrected last year on a similar statement.
In September 2023, Charles Waldegrave, one of the authors, said – “What she’s referring to was definitely a minority of the views that were put forward. By far the majority of research on sanctions has shown that it’s counterproductive when you use it with low-income families.”
The MSD study she quoted also noted:
- the payment card is not working in its current form and young people can get around
- the payment card restrictions (eg letting family members use the card to buy groceries in exchange for cash)
- sanctions and incentives do not to influence young people’s behaviours in the long-term
- some providers worried the management of payments through redirections created a sense of dependence on them etc.
It turns out the payment idea is based on David Seymour’s copy and paste of an Australian right wing policy. Yet studies have consistently shown so called welfare payment cards contribute to feelings of shame of stigma, shame and frustration, and do more harm than good. And they do not reduce drug and alcohol abuse.
There were a series of other revelations from the Luxon / Upton press conference:
- About 5% of job seeker beneficiaries don’t comply with the MSD’s rapidly increasing list of obligations
- Sole parents with job related obligations and those on supported living payments would fall into the net
- Jobseekers found out yesterday by email about the new regime, and those in orange or red would have about 5 days to sort it all out.
Now this push is all being driven by Luxon’s 9 KPIs.
That included a target to reduce job seeker beneficiaries by 50,000 by 2030. That target doesn’t appear to add up, especially as this government is actively axing thousands of jobs through funding cuts across public and private sector, and it neither accounts for population growth, a weakening labour market, or the large proportion of jobseekers on Health or Disability and who already work part time.
This year, ANZ forecast 40,000 more jobs would go by year’s end although estimates by different economists range from 25,000 upwards.
Yes, beneficiaries who are abusing the system can be managed, but to employ expensive, ineffective, counter-productive measures on a whole jobseeker population – at a time when the job market is in decline thanks to government austerity – and choose to impart such a lack of dignity and hardship on people who are already struggling – seems counter-intuitive, and possibly cruel.
If they wanted to improve job seekers statistics, they could fix the economy and invest in productivity. Something that we haven’t seen as the government actively axes investments in science, technology and climate, while doubling down on agriculture.
What is far more likely is that the government is trying to remove people from the beneficiaries list through making it more and more burdensome for them.
JOBSEEKER TREND GRAPH
Light blue = Health or Disability / dark blue = work ready job seekers, some of whom are already working part time
Where this all falls will likely result in increased family tensions, increased crime, and onto the backs of social service providers and food banks – even as the government slashes funding for them, and instructs police not to attend most family harm and mental health incidents.
Cartoon Credit: Chris Slane
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Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...1 week ago
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Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...2 weeks ago
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Winston Peters’ climate denialism at the Pacific Islands’ Forum is an embarrassing new low. ...2 weeks ago
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E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...1 day ago
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Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...1 day ago
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Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...2 days ago
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5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...6 days ago
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Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...6 days ago
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- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...1 week ago
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...1 week ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...1 week ago
- Government confirms RMA reforms to drive primary sector efficiency
The Government is moving to review and update national level policy directives that impact the primary sector, as part of its work to get Wellington out of farming. “The primary sector has been weighed down by unworkable and costly regulation for too long,” Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. “That is ...1 week ago
- Weak grocery competition underscores importance of cutting red tape
The first annual grocery report underscores the need for reforms to cut red tape and promote competition, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “The report paints a concerning picture of the $25 billion grocery sector and reinforces the need for stronger regulatory action, coupled with an ambitious, economy-wide ...1 week ago
- Government moves to lessen burden of reliever costs on ECE services
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says the Government has listened to the early childhood education sector’s calls to simplify paying ECE relief teachers. Today two simple changes that will reduce red tape for ECEs are being announced, in the run-up to larger changes that will come in time from the ...1 week ago
- Over 2,320 people engage with first sector regulatory review
Regulation Minister David Seymour says there has been a strong response to the Ministry for Regulation’s public consultation on the early childhood education regulatory review, affirming the need for action in reducing regulatory burden. “Over 2,320 submissions have been received from parents, teachers, centre owners, child advocacy groups, unions, research ...1 week ago
- Government backs women in horticulture
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The Government will pause the rollout of freshwater farm plans until system improvements are finalised, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard announced today. “Improving the freshwater farm plan system to make it more cost-effective and practical for farmers is a priority for this ...1 week ago
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Toitū te marae a Tāne Mahuta me Hineahuone, toitū te marae a Tangaroa me Hinemoana, toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata. The Government has introduced clear priorities to modernise Te Papa Atawhai - The Department of Conservation’s protection of our natural taonga. “Te Papa Atawhai manages nearly a third of our ...1 week ago
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One thing it has the potential to do is to highlight how unaffordable some people's lives are. At the moment, a lot of people pay the rent and have less than enough for food and clothing. What we'll see is people allocated what the government believes is appropriate for food, clothes etc (through the payment card) and it will show them as not being able to pay the rent.
On the other side of the coin, though, isn't the use of a payment card taking away the commercial rights to a level playing field on the part of the shopkeepers who aren't the government's chosen supplier? How fair is that? How do you get to be the chosen supplier, or even on the radar?
This dirty filthy CoC Govt. knows exactly what it is doing with the punitive Bennie Bash they have set in place to impress their vindictive supporters. Sanctions for not attending a meeting or responding to a phone message?–low income people run out of petrol, bus money and data allowance–MSD/WINZ staff well know this and just do not care.
The sooner MSD/WINZ are retired for good and a Basic Income instituted for all citizens–abated as you earn more–the better.
"The sooner MSD/WIN are retired for good and a Basic Income instituted for all citizens -abated as you earn more – the better."
Nothing of the sort will ever happen in Aotearoa under neoliberal governments. That most definitely includes Labour; it had six years to transform the welfare system and trumpeted incessantly that it was doing so. But all it did were a few cynical cosmetic changes.
Well aware of the unimplemented WEAG Report and all the rest. The point is that such demands as Basic Income must continue to be raised.
I think the source of the issue is the money behind attack groups (Hobsons Pledge, Taxpayers Union etc) and low quality media i.e. that which baits, and doesn't inform.
As long as they are in existence, they will just use any attempt to advance society as an opportunity to divide and attack voters i.e. citizens / residents.
If you scroll down on the link below, you can see some of the antics they use – and to me at least – there is no peace possible under effective attack dogs like that, whoever is in power.
https://mountaintui.substack.com/p/why-the-left-has-been-stupid-the
Here's one excerpt:
Seen on X/twitter:
Now that this is the reality:
It is incumbent on us all to prevent the deaths that are happening to disabled people in Britain and any such country that is abusing its populace on the benefits here in Aotearoa.
This is only the beginning:
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/map/income-support/main-benefits/supported-living-payment/work-ability-assessment-01.html
There will be great tribulations ahead for us disabled people and other people on the benefits.
I pray that we can survive this and get beyond this awful government and vote it out after its one and hopefully only term.
I intend to live just for that. 2 yrs 2 months to go.
Amen!