Welfare hand-out No. 256- ENOUGH ALREADY

[Indiana_Jones]

Go right wing

-Indy

[The Stranger:Me]

Used to find it interesting when working for KFC as a contractor. We weren't allowed to be near a store on dole day, they were too busy.

They planned their business arround dole day.

We built a church in Mangere, Next to a TAB and a pub. You always knew dole day and for a few days after the pub and TAB would be thriving businesses.

[SwanTiger]

I'm going to create my own Political Party.

I need 500 signatures and a few other legalities sorted and then i'll be on over $100,000 a year for representing your views.

Plus all the financial benefits the party and its memebers will receive, this could be a rather lucrative venture.

Who wants the Ministry of Transportation portfolio?

[Biohazard]

I'm going to create my own Political Party.

I need 500 signatures and a few other legalities sorted and then i'll be on over $100,000 a year for representing your views.

Plus all the financial benefits the party and its memebers will receive, this could be a rather lucrative venture.

Who wants the Ministry of Transportation portfolio?

Fookin A - I'll have some of that....


where do I sign

[Jonty]

I agree with you MD, but leaving emotion aside the interesting thing I learn't from my years studing economics is that welfare does play a large part in economic growth. I may sound odd, but if you think about it - who will buy the farmers milk and bread and Lion Nathan's booze if a large percentage of the country cannot afford it. It is a form of wealth distribution. If welfare is not provided you will find that the wealth becomes locked up in wealthy peoples' investments and the commodity sales which we rely on take a dive.

There is a fine balance and not many governments have got it right, but it is important to note that it is a requirment of a functioning economy. Leaving that aside, the way in which it is distributed in this country leave a lot to be desired.

[madboy]

MD, stop surfing the net and get your ass back to work. Thousands are depending on you.

Why work when the government can support you in the same or very similar manner? Honestly, think about it. If we're all earning $100k+ and our bike payments (let alone mortgages/kids private education/holidays, etc) wouldn't even be covered by the dole, why would we EVER go on the dole for any period of time?

But what if we worked for minimum wage, or say $15/hr. 40 hours @ $15 = $600, less tax = say $480. I can get that on the dpb. Why would I want to go to work and take shit for 40 hours a week, PLUS pay childcare costs, PLUS pay transport costs to work, PLUS pay for a certain level of clothing for work, PLUS miss Oprah and Dr Phil. FFS - who would work for that?

Sure, I might have trouble swinging $480 on the dole, but get an "illness" and your sickness benefit will pay a bit more, then get a job on the side and don't tell WINZ...

[Indiana_Jones]

man it's nice to see some people with common sense , that's one thing I like about KB

Too bad most people in my age group don't think us, they're all hug a tree types :P

-Indy

[Swoop]

Who wants the Ministry of Transportation portfolio?

[Lou Girardin]

When I shifted to Rotorua some years ago, I was warned not to go the Postbank on Thursday. Not knowing what they were on about, I wondered in one wet Thursday and nearly gagged from the stink of dozens of wet, unwashed bodies waiting in the dole queue.
You can be poor, but soap is cheap.

[MikeyG]

I think the dole is too hard to get on and too easy to stay on.

There are a lot of jobs out there but at the same time people should have the time to pick a job they want. I couldn't find a job straight out of uni but didn't want a minimum wage job b'cos I am qualified for way more than that. I couldn't go on the dole because of a 26 week stand down. My view is the dole should be for people between jobs and available for 6-8 weeks only with no stand-down period. This would give people time to go for jobs they want before having to resort to something underpaid and undervalued but also would stop the dole being a lifestyle.

Also give kids a full wage but put a cap on the number of hours they are allowed to work each week during the school year. How can kids get a good education when they are doing 8hrs a day on top of school.

[paturoa]

.....My view is the dole should be for people between jobs and available for 6-8 weeks only with no stand-down period.....

no, go get a job, if you want a better job then dont expect me to pay you to look around for a few weeks till u find one.

[paturoa]

watched an interview on the box a couple of weeks back and a "researcher" was being interviewed.

Anyway she was complaining that the gap between the "rich" and the "poor" was increasing despite of the extra welfare payments of the labour gubbermint (working for fams and a bunch of other things).

Can't remember the exact question she was asked but went something like....

"..so, as welfare payments have increased your research shows that the gap between the rich and the poor has increased at the same time?"

she changed the topic immediately...

[sunhuntin]

finally! like minded people!!

i flatted for a while with a young couple [approx 21 or so] who had a young baby....so dpb and unemployment benefit. neither wanted to work, and im willing to bet their kid will be the same. in a house of 3 other adults [her father as well] i was the only one that worked....finished at midnight, then come home and have to dodge shit filled nappies, half filled plates and glasses all through the living room....never mind the dogs and cat.

as most of you will know, WINZ hands out petrol vouchers like candy. ive had numerous customers [hard working tax payers, like us] come in complaining cos one of our petrol sites provides all those vouchers for winz, which means joe-worker cant get any! and then on the flip side....joe-bludger comes in with a $20 voucher and buys a pak of cigs and a lighter...of else they try and use a voucher for a .40c box of matches. so my rule...spend at least half or piss off.

i hate that your money, my money and the money of my parents is paying for fat lazy slobs to sit on their arses and do nothing. mum cleans at a place that provides courses for school drop outs....the girls there literally plan to fall preg asap and get on the dpb.

there seriously needs to be something done. and soon.

[Deano]

I was thinking about the Kahui case yesterday and concluded it is simply a vicious cycle.

Family realises it can screw the system by overcrowding a house and receive multiple benefits.

Meningitis breaks out in the family due to the overcrowding conditions.

Medical Officer of Health reports to the gubmint that the 'poor' and in particular Maori are represented disproportionately in morbidity rates.

Gubmint allocates more funds for Maori health incentives, community service cards etc that taxpayers subsidise.

Family ends up with even more 'real' income, and encourage all their extended family to do the same. (Hey what's a little meningititis compared to getting beaten to death)

This is not particularly directed at Maori, but this example is what got me thinking.