Thursday, November 25, 2010

kick them while they are down

As expected Rebstock and co have come out with a range of ideas to destroy the welfare state and beneficiaries, in the guise of fixing it and them.

From NZH
The review by the Government's welfare working group chaired by economist Paula Rebstock suggests that as few as 20,000 of the 144,000 sickness and invalid beneficiaries might be exempted from job-search requirements.

Nice - 20,000 out of 144,000 - that'll learn them - get off your butts and find one of the non-existant jobs, after all you are only sick or invalided. How bad is this - at the stroke of a pen 124,000 people are able to go and work, in fact they must search for work - MUST.
Sole parents could be required to look for work when their youngest children turn 3, or even 1.

The children can look after themselves in rebstocks world. The effect of this draconian measure on society is massive and all negative. Meanwhile families and whanau are further seperated and people are more isolated and children are not valued. I am not going to live in rebstock's world.
the review also offers beneficiaries a long list of potential "carrots" to help them get and keep paid work.

What about if there is NO work? Carrots - just like donkeys - geddit?
The proposals range across other public services, suggesting a radical revamp of the school system to steer at-risk youngsters into apprenticeships or other practical training.

Yes let's create more factory schooling - that will fix everything.

When I read this report it makes my skin crawl - it is all just about money and the people are just obstacles. The most vulnerable in society are at risk and maori are highly represented in those groups - this report is an attack upon maori because maori will suffer the most under these recommendations - and that is the way they want it - it suits their purposes.
The Rebstock report does not explicitly recommend any of the options it has put forward. It called for submissions on its ideas by Christmas Eve and will publish final proposals in February.
It also proposes contracting out some Work and Income services to private companies and iwi. It says 31 per cent of all beneficiaries are Maori and calls for a "strategic memorandum of understanding" with iwi leaders to reduce Maori welfare dependency, partly by developing specific programmes "by Maori, for Maori".
Don't be under any illusions - this report is not about helping beneficiaries or maori - they will try to lay the reponsibility on maori without giving any resouces to help - then they will point the finger and blame maori.

2 comments:

Ruahines said...

Kia ora Marty,
At the same time the gnats bail out rich investors with 1.7 billion, give them tax cuts putting more dosh in their pockets while middle and lower classes struggle to pay for food and other essentials. Then we are told we should be saving more! 90 day sacking law now across all businesses, and now those lucky enough to be employed can cash in a week for pay - wonder who the pressure will come upon there? A very slippery slope with all this. Thanks John. Thanks Gerry. Thanks Bill. Merry Christmas.

Zia Wolf-Sun said...

Whilst largely agreeing with what you say here, it should not be forgotten the mindless layabouts who have no desire to work whatsoever think nothing of sponging off the state or rather those who are working like dogs day in and day out to make ends meet AND keep the benefit scroungers in considerably more luxury, very often, than the workers themselves have. Granted they may be only a very small percentage...though I would question just how small in reality...but it is a very real and very unfair problem. It is irrelavent whether there is work out there or not if a person does not wish to and can easily avoid work altogether. The same goes for those who breed for benefits and council houses.