Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
PM's Presser Audio 15/8/11: Food Stamps 2.0
PM's Presser 15/8/11: Food Stamps 2.0
Click for big version.
Prime Minister John Key opened his weekly press conference in "the winter wonderland that is Wellington" discussing the second round of the Governments' technology development grants, plans to hold a Cabinet meeting in Christchurch on 5 September, and the weekend's announcement on planned welfare changes for young people.
He answered questions on aspects of this planned 'complete wraparound service' including direct payment of recipients' bills, payment on cards which allow limited spending, and incentives for private organisations delivering services. Mr Key had 'anecdotal' reports of youth benefits being misspent and was concerned young mother might be targeted as a source of money by others. He said the welfare system should provide "clearer obligations on both parties", and was determined money given for children should be spent on children.
The Prime Minister also had anecdotal evidence of good results from the technology grants, which he preferred to Labour's R&D tax credit scheme.
Other questions included Mr Key's optimistic expectations on NZ's trading environment and his deputy Bill English making jokes at his expense during the National Party conference. Key described English as "in good form".
Click a link to play audio (or right-click to
download) in either
MP3 format or in OGG
format.
Scoop
Scoop Independent News
Scoop is NZ's largest independent news source; respected widely in media, political, business and academic circles for being the place on the internet for publishing "what was really said", and for the quality of its analysis of issues.
Ian Powell: New Zealand’s Shameful Modern Slavery Shutdown
Gordon Campbell: On The Hikoi Arrival, And Tyler Childers
Alastair Thompson: COP29 Erasure Story Update – All's Well That Ends Well
Binoy Kampmark: Thank You For Emitting - The Hypocrisies Of COP29
Alastair Thompson: COP29 Erasure – COP29 Media Center Crippled
Ramzy Baroud: End Of Empathy - Did The Gaza Genocide Render The UN Irrelevant?