Work and Income stoush over ID
A new Work and Income policy asking people with appointments for identification before they can enter has sparked an incident with a Dunedin resident.
Robert Stewart is seeking the release of CCTV footage under the Official Information Act after he was trespassed from the central Dunedin Work and Income office on March 16. He alleged he was abused, poked and ridiculed after he declined to show a security guard his ID.
Ministry of Social Development southern regional commissioner John Allen said Stewart was trespassed due to his ‘‘completely unacceptable’’ behaviour.
Stewart said the incident happened after a security guard stopped him from entering the building for a mandatory Work and Income appointment, and asked for ID.
He said he asked the guard ‘‘under what authority’’, and ‘‘it escalated from there’’.
Allen said Work and Income had ‘‘strengthened our safety and security approach by asking our guards to have a conversation with people as they arrive at our offices to ask why a person is there and whether they have some form of ID’’.
The policy began in the southern region in mid-January.
As long as guards were satisfied someone had a genuine reason for visiting and did not pose a risk, they would be able to enter, he said. Stewart was blocked ‘‘due to his aggressive manner’’.
‘‘[He] tried to barge past our guards to enter . . . When the guards have tried to speak with him about his reason for visiting the site, he yelled and abused them repeatedly, tried to physically push passed them and refused to provide ID,’’ Allen said.
Stewart stood by his version of events and said the reply was a ‘‘fairytale’’.
He alleged one of the guards yelled ‘‘what’s the f ...... problem, where’s your ID?’’ and ‘‘p... off idiot’’ before he was pushed in the stomach several times.
Stewart, a type-one diabetic who was hospitalised after suffering an infection earlier this year, said he left due to concerns for his safety.
‘‘It is just really impacting on that stress level that someone who suffers from a chronic illness has at those times in their life when they can’t work.’’
In the 2014-15 year, 4906 incidents were reported at Work and Income offices nationwide, most of which were classified as moderate. Another 4090 incidents were reported the following year.