Media Release

15 November 1999

WIN HIGHLIGHTS ANOMALY BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

New Zealand First says their recent ‘win’ for a Christchurch foster mother has highlighted the gross anomaly between various government agencies when faced with the Unsupported Child Benefit.

“Foster mum Sarah Collins approached me two months ago because her UCB, in a turn-around by WINZ, was suddenly counted as income, thereby reducing the amount of Childcare Subsidy paid to her”, said New Zealand First MP Ron Mark.

“This practice contradicted the Inland Revenue Department and the Children, Young Persons and their Families Agency, who don’t count this benefit as income”.

“This benefit is given to assist foster families in the very difficult job of raising other people’s children. These families should not be forced to face conflicting instructions from a variety of government agencies.

“It is even more confusing when the Prime Minister, her Social Services Minister and his Associate all disagree with each other on this issue.

“I am thankful that at least Roger Sowry has finally seen sense and overridden his Prime Minister by reversing WINZ’s decision”, said Mr Mark.

“As a former foster child myself I know the value of the work foster parents do and it is pleasing to finally see a positive outcome.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>