Labour Ignoring US Success

The United States National Center for Policy Analysis has just announced that on July 1, 2003, President Bush signed an extension of the 1996 Welfare Reform Bill, anticipating the next phase of welfare reform.

A study published by the NCPA shows that the 1996 reforms not only reduced case loads by more than 50 percent, but most recipients were "better off welfare."

"Despite the success of the US reforms our policy makers refuse to adopt similar measures. These include requiring able-bodied adult recipients to work, sanctioning those who do not and imposing time limits for welfare receipt," Lindsay Mitchell , campaigner for welfare reform, commented.

"Given the huge inroads that the US has made into its welfare dependency problems, which in the early to mid-nineties were of a similar scale to what our's are now, it is difficult to comprehend why Labour continues to steadfastedly discount a similar approach."

"The only conclusion I can draw is they are afraid of losing votes and political power. But what is the point of political power when it is not used to implement policy that would actually see thousands of people people better off?"

Lindsay Mitchell

Petitioner for a parliamentary review of the DPB

(forms available from www.liberalvalues.org.nz)

e-mail dandl.mitchell@clear.net.nz

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