Unabated: Nats Break Election Promise With Welfare Changes

The Government's welfare changes break the National Party's 2008 election promises, the Green Party said today. “In their election policy, National promised to ‘Allow beneficiaries to earn up to $100 a week before their benefit is affected,’” Green Party Co-Leader Metiria Turei said. More>>

ALSO:

• Labour - More misery doled out to Maori Party by National
• Anne Else - Mining the land and undermining the children
• Beneficiary Advisory Service - Unscrupulous Welfare Reform
• ACT - The Need For Real Welfare Reform
• Public Address out-Link - Up Front: Who's Dreaming Now?
• TV3 Video - Maori Party split over welfare reform vote
• Scoop Full Coverage - Changes To Benefit Entitlements

Gordon Campbell: Paula Bennet Not Friends With Benefits

Kudos to Finlayson in his role as Attorney-General though, for his forthright Bill of Rights evaluation of the government welfare bashing policy. As Mai Chen said on RNZ this morning, why exempt a class of beneficiaries who – by definition – are no longer looking after children from work testing, while demanding it of DPB recipients who are still looking after children? More>>

ALSO:

• Greens - Welfare Bill is pure beneficiary bashing
• Anglican Social Justice Commission - Will a kick in the pants work?
• National Council of Women - Welfare Reforms Scream Discrimination
• Maritime Union of NZ - National responsible for mass unemployment

Welfare: Harden Up

A comprehensive package of reforms unveiled today by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett, aims to break the cycle of welfare dependency.

The Future Focus package delivers on National’s pre-election promises by rebalancing expectations and obligations.

“I strongly believe people are better off in work; it’s better for them individually, for their children and their families,” says Ms Bennett.

345,000 New Zealanders currently receive a benefit, costing taxpayers $4.8 billion a year. Future Focus aims to support only those in genuine need. There is an expectation that those who can work, do. More>>

ALSO:

• Rory MacKinnon - Key, Bennett pitch benefit cut-offs
• NZ Govt - Prime Minister’s speech notes on benefit reform
• Labour - Attorney-General slams Bennett’s welfare reforms
• Labour - Welfare changes miss the mark for Islanders
• Greens - Beneficiaries get no love or respect from Paula
• United Future - Children must not become ‘collateral damage’
• Wellington People's Centre - Mean-spirited welfare reform will hurt all Kiwis
• NZ Alliance Party - Put the children first, Ms Bennett
• Lindsay Mitchell - Welfare Reforms a Re-Hash
• Kiwi Party - Welfare reform the right thing.
• ComVoices - ‘Unrelenting focus on work" punishes vulnerable
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - Beneficiary beat-up no cure for unemployment
• Auckland Chamber of Commerce - Flexibility of job seekers and employers key
• National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges - Crack-Down on Welfare May Put Families in Danger
• Salvation Army - Sanctions not the way to balance welfare books
• Council of Christian Social Services - Benefit Reforms Must Focus on Jobs and Children
• Every Child Counts - MPs hit the nail on the head
• Libertarianz Party - At Least Do the Job Properly Paula
• No Right Turn Out-Link - Discriminatory, unjustified, sadistic
• TV3 Video - Bennett: DPB discrimination 'fair and reasonable' - Welfare reform: Employers expect flood of job-seekers - Invalid sisters fear welfare crackdown - Welfare shake up a 'nightmare' for children - Backlash against 'mean-spirited' welfare changes - What jobs are there for beneficiaries? - Key: National's benefit shake up a 'kick in the pants' - Nearly half DPB beneficiaries affected by changes - Govt to announce welfare reforms

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Gordon Campbell: On Kiwirail’s Current Problems With Its Chinese-Built Wagons

For many people, Kiwirail’s decision to buy 500 flat top wagons from manufacturers in China instead of building them at Hillside workshops in Dunedin was a classic case of New Zealand chasing short term cost savings from overseas providers at the expense of many local jobs, the development of manufacturing expertise in this country and the related flow-on economic benefits to the wider community.

In recent weeks, the issue of the $49 million rail wagon contract has risen again – this time over news that the Chinese-built wagons are already requiring repairs at a rate significantly higher than normal. More>>