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Thread: I'm quitting work to go on a sickness benefit

  1. #1
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    I'm quitting work to go on a sickness benefit

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/new...its-since-1984

    Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is vowing to crack down on benefit abuse after revelations a Christchurch beneficiary family with gang connections has been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over 25 years.

    Information obtained by The Press shows Marcia Harris and her husband, former gang leader Darryl Harris, have claimed unemployment and sickness benefits continuously since 1984.

    They are one of about 300 couples who draw about $1000 a week in benefits from the taxpayer and are the subjects of a government audit.

    They have four children, three of whom are also drawing benefits.

    In addition, they have received $30,000 in special-needs grants since 2000, including $16,000 in the past two years.

    Among the successful applications were grants to put new tyres on the couple's 2007 silver Chrysler saloon and to fence a swimming pool at one of several properties the family owns in Christchurch.

    The couple claimed they needed to sell the property and could not do so unless the pool was properly fenced.

    Recent efforts to cancel Darryl Harris' sickness benefit failed after he obtained a medical opinion stating he was addicted to cannabis.

    The opinion was from one of Work and Income's "designated doctors" after the agency appealed against a medical opinion that Harris was suffering from "stress and anxiety" over being work-tested.

    The designated-doctor scheme was introduced this year in a bid to curb the growing number of sickness beneficiaries listing drug and alcohol abuse as the primary reason for being unable to work, which is up 17 per cent on 3842 last year.

    This year Marcia Harris was ordered to repay some benefits granted by Work and Income, including one to pay for her car to be released after being impounded. She was driving without a licence at the time.

    Work and Income paid for the family to spend 10 nights at a Christchurch hotel, the Towers on the Park, in 2007 after their Islington home burnt down, a review of the family's case found.

    Since then the family has been transferred to a special "remote monitoring" unit. The unit deals with Work and Income clients deemed too dangerous for face-to-face meetings with staff.

    The grants have continued, with three of the six special-needs grants applied for last month by the Harris family accepted by Work and Income.

    "It's absolutely wrong. New Zealanders should know what the system is doing," one source close to the case told The Press.
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    Work and Income "has tried everything this year and nothing's worked, so your tax dollars are going for him [Darryl Harris] to smoke dope", the source said.

    Bennett said she believed Work and Income was doing its best with the tools it had, but it did not have the mechanisms to address the hardest cases.

    "New Zealanders expect two things of the welfare system – that it supports people who really need a hand and that it is fair," she said. "Unfortunately, there are cases that prove to us that as it stands, the system isn't always fair."

    Bennett said she planned to introduce pledges made by National during last year's election campaign but shelved this year because of the recession.

    They include work-testing for domestic purpose beneficiaries whose youngest child has turned six, compulsory budgeting advice sessions for beneficiaries who claim frequent grants, and part-time work obligations for some sickness and invalid beneficiaries.

    The Government plans to suspend or reduce benefits for those who refuse to comply with requests to attend work interviews or take up work opportunities.

    The Harris family did not answer the door yesterday when a reporter called at their home for comment.
    "If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough power."


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  2. #2
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    It's infuriating, isn't it?

    If all our taxes were used for the purposes they were intended I would imagine our international ranking as a 'shit-together' nation would soar. Better health care, better education, better roads and much more besides could all be ours, if we just stopped throwing money at bludgers. (And there are many more bludgers than simply dole and sickness benefit bludgers; what has that damned treaty cost the nation over the years?)

    Get yourself the right quack (yes, quack) and you're set for years to come; tyres for the Chrysler and fencing for the pool (a pool is essential when you have all day to use it) are just two items the taxpayer can flick your way when you have a PhD in BYWTL. (That's 'Bludging Your Way Through Life'.)

    I don't mind helping the needy but this smells ever so slightly of large rodent.

    I also love this line;
    "The Government plans to suspend or reduce benefits for those who refuse to comply with requests to attend work interviews or take up work opportunities."

    Why the blazes haven't they done this before? It should be policy!

  3. #3
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    The whole story is just taking the piss out of taxpayers, but it's all ok Peasea, don't fret - we know (if payback is required) it'll be paid back @ $5 per month over 50 years.
    ter·ra in·cog·ni·ta
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    That family has been on the benefit so long that WINZ will have to pay them redundancy.
    Probably put a farewell on for them, too
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pussy View Post
    That family has been on the benefit so long that WINZ will have to pay them redundancy.
    Probably put a farewell on for them, too
    don't forget the Golden handshake and bonuses...
    ter·ra in·cog·ni·ta
    Achievement is not always success while reputed failure often is. It is honest endeavor, persistent effort to do the best possible under any and all circumstances.
    Orison Swett Marden

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by T.G.W View Post
    don't forget the Golden handshake and bonuses...
    Definitely a performance bonus... they managed to spawn another three leeches
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    Quote Originally Posted by PrincessBandit View Post
    I find it ironic that the incredibly rude personal comments about Les were made by someone bearing an astonishing resemblance to a Monica Lewinsky dress accessory.

    Quote Originally Posted by PrincessBandit View Post
    All was good until I realised that having 105kg of man sliding into my rear was a tad uncomfortable after a while

  7. #7
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    It'd be a brave soul who comes here to this thread and has a rant about being ripped off by bottom dwelling scum sucking low lifes!
    Pity there isn't ONE such soul ( Paula BENNETT, whimp!) in our Govt agency!
    Pull the F.....g pin.
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  8. #8
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    They could always go on ACC they have a billion dolar surplus. Surely being hooked on drugs is a work related accident for all gang members!!


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  9. #9
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    How come Kick do you need some tyres for your Chrysler now too?
    Cheers

    Merv

  10. #10
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    That is just bullshit. Yet when someone who works all their life hits a bit of a rough patch and approaches WINZ, they get nothing until all ther assets are gone and are in an even worse position and even more dependant on welfare.How the fuck can a benificary be driving a 2007 Chrysler?. Bring on asset testing for these bludgers.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by T.G.W View Post
    The whole story is just taking the piss out of taxpayers, but it's all ok Peasea, don't fret - we know (if payback is required) it'll be paid back @ $5 per month over 50 years.
    Via a special grant to provide the extra $5

  12. #12
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    Fuck, some people really know how to wring every last cent out of the system, and then they tell all their mates. I think there were some gang affiliates here in Hamilton a while back who all got money for clothes "so they could go to work interviews", but also washing machines to wash those clothes, and CARS to go to interviews in. They were getting extra food allowance money for their kids after drinking, smoking, drugs, and gambling meant there wasn't enough to feed them!! As inflammatory as it was, I think Michael Laws was on to something when he suggested paying beneficiaries a lump sum to get sterilized. It would definitely save the country money in the long run and reduce the number of kids whose parents couldn't give a flying fuck about them
    I'm with you guys. Benefits should be there to help those in need, not a way of life!!!!

  13. #13
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    I'm sure this family are by no means the only ones doing this. It will be the tip of the iceburg and as a nation we will be horrified by how much abuse of the system goes on.

    There are some folk out there who claim lack of training, education (the education system is against them...), and a "fair start in life" all are perfectly legitimate justifications for ripping the honest hardworking tax payer off. Let's face it - they're not ripping off the "system"; the "system" is US, the tax payer. If not for us, the govt. wouldn't have any funding for these leeches; it's just sad for us we have no say in the matter.
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  14. #14
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    The follow up story to this is that a mother with cancer had a grant refused for clothing her child now has it granted after going to the Press.

    Paula Bennet needs to find out what is going on here in Chch instead of the one liners she's drip feeding the public for her 'benefit.'


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  15. #15
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    whats the big deal with the harris's those 300c tyres dont pay for themselves you know, most of the maori population are ripping the system as well at least harris has something to show for it

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