Now here’s an interesting article:
“Beneficiary with children had benefit cut by half for seven months” [STACY KIRK, stuff.co.nz]
Hmmm. And here’s
another:
“Christchurch tetraplegic man disgusted after benefit slashed without warning” [CATE BROUGHTON, stuff.co.nz]
Oh, whoops, and here’s another:
“Marriage to US pensioner cuts Kiwi's pension to $80 a week”
[CATE BROUGHTON, stuff.co.nz]
You’re seeing the picture about now I guess. You have to wonder, why are so many of these
stories hitting the New Zealand news right now?
Well, this is Election Year 2017 here in New Zealand, and we go to the polls on 23 September. So, the main reason these stories are hitting the news now IMHO, is that the opposition Labour Party are
using such stories as electioneering.
It’s a little cynical, but frankly, this current right-wing government
in New Zealand needs to be severely taken to task on this issue.
And the issue is this: there are vulnerable people in this
country who are not being given the help that they need. The issue is real, and it is not confined to
the people referred to in the articles above.
My own experience was entirely consistent with that.
Now, the “Comments” sections in these stuff.co.nz articles are
always fascinating reading. These are
comments that readers can add to the foot of the article, and multiple comments
can build up quite an interesting debate.
Of course, there are a few comments from ill-informed, right-wing hacks that
decry the radicals. These hacks say that the issue of benefit cuts is NOT an election
issue, and it is to do with our benefits
department, WINZ (Work & Income New Zealand), only.
Oh, but it is an election issue. And here’s why.
It’s fair to say that the culture and policy at WINZ is defined by the government
of the day. And these stories, above,
show that there is currently a culture and a policy of trying to scrimp money off our
most vulnerable people. As you can
deduce from the articles, the problem is systemic, when previously it was not under the Helen Clark Labour government. Therefore, it is – at the very least – recent
government policy. So, the logic is that
this current National Party, right-wing, heartless government is trying to claw
back money from those who need it most. So, rather
than raise the tax rate at the higher income level, it is preferable for this
government to target the vulnerable instead.
All because the rich don’t like paying tax.
It would perhaps be justifiable – if immoral – were the
National Party to be honest about the current policy at WINZ: “Well, our rich friends and
sponsors – the ones who really support us, not the moaning, middle-class
mortgage whores – want us to reduce their tax burden. Rather than spend money on those who need it,
we’re trying to rape and pillage every penny we can from social services, so we
don’t have to raise income tax on our wealthy mates.”
From what you can gauge in the articles above, Key's words are in complete contrast to what his government
has ACTUALLY been doing over the last nine years, since those utterances. Make no mistake; just because Dull English has taken over the reigns, that attitude and policy towards beneficiaries was formulated under Key and continues under English.
All because the rich don’t like paying tax.
Remember, remember, 23rd September; you have a
choice, New Zealand. You can continue to vote for a
party that squeezes the nuts of the vulnerable. You can continue to vote for a
party that is morally bankrupt. Or not.
FURTHER READING:
"Under the line: Impact of poverty on children's health" [SAMANTHA GEE, stuff.co.nz]
"Cristiano Ronaldo appears in court on tax charges" [Richard Conway, BBC Sports News]
"The (not so) wonderful world of WINZ" [CLAIRE BROWN, stuff.co.nz]
"New Zealand's welfare system is no longer a functioning system, experts claim" [JOHN EDENS, stuff.co.nz]
John Key “you can
measure a society by how it looks after its most vulnerable”.
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