Poverty

[N4CR]

And if you GIVE them the fish as opposed to making them WORK for the fish they will probably be less gratefull and appreciative of said fish and use them less wisely.

But maybe I'm a tad cynical.

Yep

Povert in NZ means having enough for a PS2, a $9,999 vehicle, booze and a fancy cellphone but don't have enough for frivolities like food, kids clothes and stuff like that.

Just from what I've seen.

Yep

Poverty is mostly a lifestyle choice in NZ. They get enough money from us, it's just the way they spend it is the problem.

That's all I have to say on the subject.

Yep

And what Quasi and MSRTSSTTSRSSTSR said.

I don't even need to write anything now. Cheers guys.

-Rep heartily splashed out.

[Quasievil]

I didnt get any rep??? Im so desperate for rep, I only got 3500 points, how can I go on

[Lias]

WHo's a redneck ??? anyone seen a redneck around these here paerts??

*hurridly changes out of his flannel shirt*

[N4CR]

I didnt get any rep??? Im so desperate for rep, I only got 3500 points, how can I go on

I did your rep in the 2nd batch , Settle down!

[yungatart]

I've been pretty short of money odd times in my life - only difference between me and those in poverty is I didn't spend my money on booze, videos, takeaways, TAB or non nutritious food. Took me a year of hard graft and going without luxuries (wants vs needs) to get back on my feet. It is totally an attitude thing with people who are poor in NZ. They can't be bothered doing anything different to get out of the trap they put themselves in to. Why should they? WINZ will always help them out.

[Macktheknife]

I was unemployed once for about 3 months, I just couldn't find a job. Then I got one and was earning about $10 more than the dole, I had people asking me why I bothered. That was an experience I have never forgotten... and never repeated.
When people see no reason to work they have, in my opinion, lost all respect for themselves, their family, their community, and their country. It is a cancerous growth on our society. Cut it out.

[Beemer]

What about that beneficiary protesting outside a bank last week - reckoned they were ripping off low income workers. Excuse me, you are a BENEFICIARY - not a worker, so we could argue that she's one of the ones ripping US off.

I've been unemployed a couple of times and it's quite soul destroying. I am self-employed now and whenever I go into town in the middle of the day I worry that people will think I don't have a job! I once got a job where I was paid $25 a week less than the dole. I quit, but went temping, so not only did I get a much better hourly rate for more interesting work, I had the time to look around for a better job too.

The whole time I was ever on the dole, I fully expected to be asked why I hadn't got a job - and each time I had to report, I took copies of job application letters I had sent off, to prove I had been trying. They never even bothered to look at them. I did strike one wonderful woman in the WINZ office in Lower Hutt years ago, she was really encouraging even if she did admit it wasn't likely they would find me a job to utilise my skills. I don't know who was more excited when I got a job, her or me!

As for poverty being a choice, for some people I truly believe that. Look at that couple on that money show last night - they were spending $1400 a month more than what they earned, putting things on the credit card or hire purchase. Sorry, but if you are financially struggling, that is the last thing you do. Get some budgeting advice and learn how to cook - spending about $70 a week on snacks is appalling - that would feed us proper meals for more than a week! I spoke to someone at a food bank once and he said they gave this woman a food parcel with some mince in it but she brought it back a short time later, saying they may as well keep it because she didn't have a cat. So many people nowadays have no idea how to cook basic meals. If it doesn't come out of a packet with microwave heating instructions, they have no idea what to do with it.

[buellbabe]

Totally agreeing with everything especially Finns comment about Poverty being a lifestyle choice... somewhat harsh but true to a large extent.
I am a single white female with my own house, bike, car, couple of dogs etc... I have worked my BUTT OFF for everything I've got and I am struggling to keep my head above water alot of the time but I refuse to be without toys... its my choice and I don't rely on a Govt handout.
Oh BTW I DON'T have a Playstation...

[madboy]

Oh BTW I DON'T have a Playstation...

Don't tell me you crossed to the dark side and got an XBox?

[buellbabe]

whats an Xbox?

[scumdog]

Totally agreeing with everything especially Finns comment about Poverty being a lifestyle choice... somewhat harsh but true to a large extent.
I am a single white female with my own house, bike, car, couple of dogs etc... I have worked my BUTT OFF for everything I've got and I am struggling to keep my head above water alot of the time but I refuse to be without toys... its my choice and I don't rely on a Govt handout.
Oh BTW I DON'T have a Playstation...

I agree, it ticks me off when some broken-arse says to me "it's alright for you, you're lucky, you've got a Harley/house/hotrod" (or whatever).

Lucky?, lucky? do they think I just found the stuff in a gully somewhere or it was a heap of raffle prizes?

I've worked for the past 36+ years to get the stuff, last thing I need is a snotty 20-something year old dole-bludger telling me I'm 'lucky'

I often tell them to get there sorry-arse of the ground and get a job.

Not one has said "But I can't"

[scumdog]

Kiwibiker.co.nz: "where every redneck can have his say"

Even the lazy slack-arsed dole-bludger rednecks....

[yungatart]

I agree, it ticks me off when some broken-arse says to me "it's alright for you, you're lucky, you've got a Harley/house/hotrod" (or whatever).

Funny, isn't it? The harder we work, the luckier we get!

[Ixion]

Bah. Humbug. Etc.

Who else saw today's Harold report on "poverty". With a emotive picture of someone dossed down in the open . With the implication that that was what "poverty" in NZ meant.

It gets right up my nose when I see my tax payments going to support a lazy bunch of shirkers, who are perfectly capable of working but choose not to. And MY tax payments provide them with a life style which includes a lot of stuff that I can't afford myself (or, choose not to afford).

Poverty? Humbug.

People in that category experienced at least some of the following: no telephone, no washing machine, less than required fresh fruit and veges, no heating in main rooms, postponed doctor's visits, did not have good shoes or a winter coat, relied on gifts for clothes

Oh, yeah?

No fruit and veges? Where's the vege gardens then? If you're out of work, first thing you do is GET FUCKIN' DIGGING. An able bodied person can feed a family from a back yard vege garden. I've done it. It doesn't require a big section, you can do it on the road verge if you have to.

No heating in main rooms? Oh , my heart bleeds. I don't heat the main rooms in winter either. No-one did in my day, the family gathered round the kitchen range, or went to bed with a hot water bottle. Which is what I do today. When we have visitors, often as not they say "Oh, how cold your house is". Yeah. Harden up. (Different for the really old, or sick. Though my gran lived to 92 and never heated)

Postponed doctors visits ? Don't we all. Though health care should be free, blame our right wing government for that one.

Do not have good shoes or a winter coat. Yeah? No Sallie Army second hand shop where they live? You can get jolly good clothes for a few dollars. I'm not too proud to buy them , so I don't see why beneficiaries should be.

I have IMMENSE sympathy for those who can't work through no fault of their own. And for workers struggling to make ends meet on the minimum wage, whilst exploiting corporations send billions of dollars in profits off shore. But I have ZERO tolerence for shirkers. And most of the sob stories put forward about "poverty" are shirkers.

Vote Communist. The only vote that makes sense.

[Goblin]

whats an Xbox?

That's what my ex calls me.