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For immediate release
Tuesday 23 March 2010

ComVoices cautious about ‘unrelenting focus on work’

Welfare reform announced today that puts an unrelenting focus on work for New Zealand beneficiaries has been treated with caution by ComVoices, an independent network of Tangata Whenua, and community and voluntary sector organisations.

Dave Henderson, Coordinator of ANGOA says, “Providing a fairer benefit system should not about punishing people who don’t or can’t work. There are significant imbalances in the system, which are not being addressed, even though community organisations have been raising them for years.”

The group said that being a solo parent or a sickness beneficiary is not a ‘lifestyle choice’ and it is concerning that it is being treated as such. For many, drawing a benefit is the last resort and it’s a poorly paid option compared to paid employment.

The group stated that the welfare reforms are likely to have a ripple effect on community sector organisations, particularly in social services agencies.

Michael Woodcock, Acting Executive Director of the New Zealand Federation for Voluntary Welfare Organisations says, “Today’s welfare reform announcement fails to address one crucial issue, which is; where are all these jobs for currently-unemployed people going to come from?

“Beneficiaries are amongst New Zealand’s most vulnerable citizens and failing to address the need to develop more jobs and then putting the blame back onto people who are already struggling to make ends meet will increase stress levels, creating even greater need for services in our already-stretched Sector.”

While the group agreed that paid work is a positive experience for many, providing a route to independence and wellbeing, the reforms also fail to capture the diversity of the country’s beneficiaries.

“These reforms overlook some key issues and are very ‘one size fits all’, says Wendi Wicks, National Policy Advisor for the Disabled People’s Assembly (DPA).

“For disabled people, one of the key employment issues is discrimination by employers: they want to work, but aren’t given the opportunities. These reforms now mean they’ll have another series of hoops to jump through on their journey to work,” she says.

ENDS

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