Only ACT Will Tackle The DPB

"Family breakdown is the root cause of nearly every social problem we are desperately grappling with today," says Lindsay Mitchell, petitioner for a Parliamentary review of the DPB.
"The growth of single parent families has only been possible through government subsidy. The DPB was introduced to cater for extreme circumstances but in many New Zealand communities, growing up on this benefit is now the norm. What are our politicians going to do about the DPB?" asks Mitchell.

At a public meeting yesterday Mrs Mitchell was able to put this question to a range of party representatives. "Labour's Trevor Mallard admits there is a problem with the 'numbers' " says Mitchell, "But seemed slightly confused over what Labour's policy is. He said he supported work- testing, forgetting that Labour actually plan to abolish worktesting next month. When I pointed this out to him he responded ' But we will replace it with annual case manager interviews.' This audibly underwhelmed the audience."

"Dale Stephens, National candidate, told us that he had seen more than his share of the problems associated with welfare dependency during his 20 year police career. He talked about his own commitment to the institution of marriage and two-parent families and said we all have to ask ourselves why commitment to partners and children has diminished. He failed to recognize that government finances, and so inadvertantly encourages people out of relationships. Disappointingly, he had no policy solution."

"The 'red' Greens candidate typically wanted more wealth transfer to stem poverty. He didn't seem to understand that socialist ideology is what got us into this mess in the first place."

"Only the ACT candidate, Christopher Milne, had the insight and courage to say that the state has actively undermined the family. He outlined ACT's welfare policy which is based on the hugely successful US welfare reforms, where nationally there has been a 59% drop in families on welfare since 1995 and poverty has decreased. He also reminded the audience about Dr Michael Bassett's recent public comment, that he and other MP's of the day, would never have passed the DPB legislation if they had known that a few thousand recipients would climb to the current 110,000."

" It is predicted by 2010 that 50% of our children will grow up in single parent homes. The figure for Maori is 75%. It is vital that we act to reverse this trend NOW, " Mitchell urges." ACT has my vote."

Lindsay Mitchell Petitioner for a Parliamentary review of the DPB

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