Welfare report will make life harder for women

The recently released Welfare Working Group’s report proposes a range of reforms which attack women’s rights and will undermine their well being, said Green Party Women’s Spokesperson Catherine Delahunty today.

Ms Delahunty was responding to the analysis from the Women’s Refuge which says that the report’s recommendations, if adopted by the Government, will make it harder for women to leave violent relationships.

“The proposal to replace all benefits including the Domestic Purposes Benefit with a single benefit for everyone will severely disadvantage vulnerable women,” said Ms Delahunty.

“Single parents on the Domestic Purposes Benefit risk further stigmatisation through work testing and the possible introduction of a new Jobseeker benefit. Those caught in violent relationships will find it harder to leave when the incentives are stacked against them.

“Recent cuts to early childhood education and the lack of room in child care facilities place out to work mothers an impossible situation.”

Ms Delahunty was critical of the Welfare Working Group’s report that saw little value in the role of parenting and disregarded the rights of mothers to stay at home and raise their children with a decent level of security and self respect.

“These proposed reforms could undermine the great work achieved to date, work that encourages women to leave abusive men to create a secure home for their children,” said Ms Delahunty.

Ms Delahunty hoped the Minister of Social Welfare would recall her own experience as a single mother with good access to education and income support.

“As a champion of the vulnerable — especially mothers and the children they’re raising — I’m hopeful Paula Bennett will see these proposed changes as unduly punitive and reject them.

“We’re in the midst of a recession, a natural disaster, cuts to places in tertiary study, and cutbacks to early childhood services. Now is the time to ensure mothers on the Domestic Purposes Benefit have access to education and a secure level of income to ensure they can provide enough for their children,” said Ms Delahunty.

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