Sanctions to shrink in overhaul of welfare – PM
Details of the ‘‘imminent’’ Government overhaul of the welfare system have leaked out in online job listings.
The job listings show the Government is setting up a welfare overhaul ‘‘expert advisory group’’ supported by a secretariat of officials from different departments.
The listings for a project manager and strategic communications adviser were posted in March of this year on the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) website.
In the job description MSD write ‘‘the Government has committed, through the Labour/ Greens Confidence and Supply Agreement, to overhaul the Welfare System. This work will be led by an independent group of Experts, supported by a Secretariat of officials from MSD, the Treasury and Inland Revenue.’’
The listings have emerged as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said an announcement on the welfare overhaul is ‘‘imminent’’.
Her comments come after a news report revealed a solo mother was kicked off her benefit and told the reason was two Tinder dates she had been on.
Ardern said these mistakes happen too often and have huge ramifications for people.
Her party’s confidence and supply agreement with the Green Party promises an ‘‘overhaul’’ of the welfare system which would ‘‘ensure access to entitlements, remove excessive sanctions and review Working For Families’’.
Ardern said work on this overhaul was under way and an announcement would be ‘‘imminent’’, but was not clear on an exact timeline.
‘‘I have seen too many stories as an MP in my local area which demonstrate that decisions have been made that haven’t taken into account the human side of some of the cases at play,’’ Ardern said.
‘‘There are situations where you are just left wondering why there just wasn’t the respect shown that should’ve been.’’
The overhaul would be announced by Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni.
The Green Party went to the election with a policy to ‘‘remove financial penalties and excessive sanctions’’ on benefits.
Ardern has made clear that some sanctions would remain after the overhaul.
She said a culture change was needed at Work and Income, but acknowledged that ‘‘by and large’’ case managers did a good job.
‘‘Culture change is difficult. We are coming in after nine years of there being an expectation that there be a singular focus on reducing benefit numbers and, of course, we want people in work, we want people who are seeking work to be able to find work, but I think it has tipped over into a space where it actually is denying people who need help,’’ Ardern said.
National’s social development spokeswoman Louise Upston said any overhaul must not lessen incentives to find work.
‘‘New Zealanders are a fair minded people who want to help those who fall on hard times. But they also believe that people should help themselves and when they can work they should,’’ Upston said.
‘‘Anyone who needs access to welfare can get it. It’s only right that they in return meet obligations including looking for work, turning up to appointments, staying drug free and being honest about their living arrangements.
‘‘It’s the clear expectation of taxpayers that if beneficiaries are not doing that, then there should be sanctions. The prime minister’s promise to overhaul the welfare system, including ‘ensuring access to entitlements’, also completely disregards the incredible fact that we currently have the lowest number of sole parents on welfare since the 1980s.’’