NZ Centre for Political Research

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*Yes I do support the general tenor of the reforms and I would also like the test of "good moral character to be applied" both to beneficiaries and (in the case of solo mothers) to the boyfriends and partners who they allow to come in contact with their children. The research seems to show that these people who have no emotional commitment to the children are responsible for many incidents of child abuse.
The only reservation I have about getting solo parents back to work is the concern that young children will be sent off to school when they are sick and that during the school holidays there will be inadequate care and supervision. This concern could be met if there was effective support. A further concern which no doubt has occurred to others is that a future Labour administration would undo the reforms, lower the requirements and hand out more money just as they have done in the past. Finally in some reported cases "keeping the abused child in the family" has meant a continuation of abuse. Surely these children would be better off in foster homes or even a humanely run children's hostel where they were given a structured and secure environment together with some genuine affection and individual attention. Denis

*It's a start but it needs to keep going, drastically. How can New Zealand do any good with so many unproductive people? Sheila

*In my household, the children of the family have always come first. I do not believe that any child in this country need ever to go to school hungry if the "family" puts the children first. I know that we went without so our kids could what they needed to thrive. It seems that "families" need to be taught the lesson that, if you have children, then they need to be placed first in the order of things when money is allocated within the household. I cannot understand why so many maori children are in the statistics when there has been so many millions of "settlements" paid out? What is happening to all that money, or just the interest from that money, where is it being placed so that those in need derive a benefit from it? I believe that anyone on a benefit where children are involved must be compelled to FIRSTLY demonstrate how the children are being supported by that money. If it means that every one on a benefit has to keep a record of every cent they spend to demonstrate this, then so be it. Then there will be those who scream "but it's my right to spend my money how I want" or "It's not fair that you tell me what to do with my money". Well the money that is handed out is part of the tax that I pay from the money I have earned. So I should have a say as to how it is used, and that is why I have said what I have said. Neil

*We are becoming too divided. Evan

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*Well overdue. Our welfare system has gone well beyond its original purpose. Bob

*And no back-peddling to soften the 'blow'. At last we have the makings of positive improvement. Ali

*The nursing of grievances has been toxic to feminists and our children, who we know thrive best in secure natural parent families' It maybe instinctive to foment grievances, but it ruins mental health. It is noteworthy that Asian peoples have bounced back from wars far better than Maoris have. Max

*Although good contraception is the ultimate key to preventing more children being born into 'poverty' - both in NZ and around the world. What is wrong with making it compulsory when the parents are totally inept - or at least incentivising it - for men as well as women? Those who object are only encouraging those who seek power by growing the ignorant masses. Fiona

*I certainly hope that the government sticks to these reforms and doesn't buckle under pressure to 'modify' them. They are the very least that should be instigated! Sarah

*Present welfare provisions aren't working too well/This new approach might/How can we influence the bad- and unwanted-procreation?? Gus

*This is all happening years too late, but at least John and Paula, are trying desperately to crack the welfare dependancy egg. Lloyd

*Fantastic news to hear that our present Government has the guts to make these changes. Yvonne

*Extremely encouraging to hear what the Government is proposing. I hope the whole of NZ gets in behind them. Michael

*What better way to curtail the welfare money machine and put our taxes to education and medicine. David

*LETS GET ON WITH IT, TOO MUCH TIME HAS ALREADY BEEN WASTED. JOHANNES

*Would be easier to shoot all the bludging parasites and solve the countries problems once and for all bullets are cheap. Jason

*At last the National Govt is introducing reforms to welfare that are long overdue. Well done John Key and Paula Bennett. Irvine

*That's great. Why wasn't welfare reform tackled sooner; because it has been so obvious for years what damage our welfare course of action was causing to families and to our economy. Rob

*The word 'entitlement' needs to be changed to responsibility. Also education on how to clothe & feed children on a budget, esp. how to make breakfasts & school lunches instead of 'feeding up' the poverty industry. Monica

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*Yes. I absolutely support the Governments efforts on reforming Welfare. It's a sad and sorry indictment on our country that it expects so little from it's less ambitious citizens. That we let them rot in what must surely be a corrosive pit of personal decay is morally reprehensible. Even more morally reprehensible is the fact that it delivers their children into an almost certain living hell of deprivation and abuse.
I am very pleased to read of the suggested reforms and would take them even further so that teenagers and women who have babies out of wedlock, be told very firmly that producing illegitimate children does not give them entitlement to free money and in fact that there will be no money for such people. That would stop the intergenerational welfare rot very quickly. Dianna

*It's a start. Ronmac

*Welfare was never supposed to replace work for a living.
The only way to reduce those on welfare is to make it less than having a job. Yes I hear you cry "BUT THERE ARE NO JOBS" RUBBISH they could pick up rubbish along the roads, plant plants to make the area nice to see, make the work from 08.00 - 5.00 p,m The new rate for the workers should be more than the benefit.
I also get real angry at the POVERTY cry and someone should feed the kids, what rot, we the taxpayer has more than paid enough out under The Treaty (which should be burnt) where has all that money gone?
This Country is becoming more and more divided by a few greedy unthankful
dissidents whom take it that we owe them for past wrongs
We need a Government that has the G--- to stand up and say what many feel, Ënough is Enugh and NO MORE"
If they do not want to work they can no longer have our Welfare but get it from all the payments given to their Tribes by us hard workers, no more handouts, the Country would be far better off. Marylin

*I think it has some good and some bad points. I am a beneficiary, but have worked part-time since my children were born. I would love a full-time job that pays enough, but they just aren't there, and I am very motivated. Simone

*The bill does not go far enough & should be realigned with the original. The costs of all these benefits including working for families plus paid parental leave will place us equal to GREECE. Derek

*About time! Lorraine

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*If NOT for welfare these troubled families would be far worse off and more problematic...it's all just dollars with the damned national party!! Rick

*Much needed change to support children and set beneficiaries future. Al

*Free breakfasts in schools is another bad move. Like 2 men in their 30s living near me they will grow up thinking they are entitled to a living without having to do anything for it. Responsibility and consideration are words that nowadays seem to have been forgotten in schools. Mary

*When I heard that Paula Bennett wanted to stop benefits paid to people on the run from the Police, I thought it was a joke! But for years, we long suffering tax payers have being paying welfare to people on the run from the Police....AND...paying for the Police to find these people!!!!! How daft is that?! How did it ever get that way? Major shakeup required and not before time. Derejk

*Definitely about time something was done to change this. Good on them. Leanne

*The reforms aren't enough by a long shot, but they are an encouraging start. Of course the whole sorry saga was created by the UN & their globalist masters in the 1st place, so the degree of the "reform" and its effectiveness - even the opposition to such reforms - is all a carefully shaped and planned orchestrated opera; played out to the cadence and whims of the "shadowy few": people who regards us as nothing more than numbers on spreadsheets, formulae in their equations, hens laying their income-eggs. The time for revolution is NOW - we must throw off the shackles of the UN & their backers and reclaim NZ for ourselves, by ourselves. Peter

*Unfortunately I still do not have any confidence that our politicians have the backbone required to follow through with its full implementation. Also that future governments will not revert to the current situation to gain votes and power from the bludgers on society. John

*Maori with all their claims of grievances, ownership of water, air, hard done by you name it with the top brass sucking the cream off to top it is an affront to their culture and don`t wont to move on while we have the attitude of Government, Maori party, council, King and the tribunial. Robert

*For all the reasons mentioned in your article including few more. Alan

*As a Budget Adviser of many years a good move But it is only the start of what is needed. It will take a number of years to remove the idea that the Taxpayer should pay for all my wants. Murray

*Yes, at least they are trying...but the real sector of the population need to fess up and take note of their poor record as regards education...they do not seem to get the message that education counts for so much...just having knowledge is so wonderful...when will they learn...but they maybe they wish to live in the past but of course want the modern things in life..iphones etc...if the people that invented them did not want to learn we would not have them now...goes without saying really...so until the attitude of part of the population of NZ learns to want to be educated it will always be inequitable for both life and learning. Audrey

*If people are able to work and there is work available they should not have the option of requiring the working population to pay for their choice of life! Peter

*Welfare is ruining NZ. John

*When people are better off on welfare than when they are working something in fundamentally wrong with the welfare system. Colin

*It's a start, NZ can no longer afford being a welfare state. Murray

*About time that people took responsibility for their actions. Elsa

*But they are not moving fast enough nor far enough. Maurice

*Our welfare system is the major reason for our country to be in the disgraceful social position we now find ourselves. I am also a strong supporter for drug testing all beneficiaries. Brett

*YES ABSOLUTELY. A FANTASTIC START. NOW WATCH SOMEONE BLAME POVERTY FOR THE PROBLEMS INSTEAD. Adrienne

*My view is that these measures are not going far enough. Decades of social fabric decay in this country have created a problem so great that the only way to turn this unbearable( and unsustainable ) situation around is to stop listening to all these do gooders and chardonnay socialists ( like Sue Bradford) and apply more political pressure to deal with this mess as quick as possible. Sure ,there will be a lot of people up in arms ( including all these people on some kind of benefit)but one has to start somewhere in order to get the ball rolling before they have bred another generation of people who think it is their god given right to receive money for nothing. We cannot allow people not to contribute to society and have to educate them strictly on the fact that with rights come responsibilities PERIOD!!!
At this point in time we have a rats tail of all sorts of so called social services associated with 'dealing' with these problems. That keeps a lot of people in jobs allright but I consider this a rather parasitic outcrop , kept alive by keeping alive all these problems in order to justify their own (job)existence. Extreme situations need resolute solutions. Michael

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*I fully endorse the effort to reduce the number of people who choose to become dependent on the State. All State support should be a temporary support for them! Cyril

*Absolutely, the sooner the better. In addition they need to take away the incentive to have more children while on the DPB by not paying more each time a new baby is added. Brent

*The government should put these greedy part europeans in their place - with the rest of us. John

*Except, once again, key and bennett don't have the BOLLOCKS to make the hard call New Zealand needs before the bleeding-heart-lefties send us bankrupt... Mark

*Why continue to bring children in to this world if you are not prepared to provide them with the basic necessities in life. It is not every working NZ's job to clothe and feed these children. We have already provided for our own. Benefits should not be a right.An extra $100 per week will not make any difference to the children. Parents will still squander the money and the children will still remain hungry. Put the responsibility back on the parents to provide for their children and stop their benefit if they continue produce children. Where is the money from our wealthy Maori tribes. Don't see any of that money filtering down to look after these underprivaledged maori children. It is just so easy to blame everyone else and keep the hand out isn't it. Where is this Whanau that is talked about. I don't see the Whanau teaching their unemployed people to sand, paint etc to keep the Marae in good repair. I don't see vegetable gardens etc on these Maraes with all this vacant land. Time to take responsibility and look after your own. Dot

*Pity its taken the current govt so long to get around to this-bring it on!!! Dave

*Investigations into the subsidies going to gangs should be next. Rob

*Does not go far enough. Keith

*Compulsory attendance at an ECE, compulsory immunisations and compulsory Well Child checks should not be a part of getting a benefit. There are other ways to help vulnerable children. Barbara

*The way the word 'poverty' is used for political gain by left-leaners disgusts me. There is NO poverty in this country. Food, shelter, healthcare and education is freely available to every New Zealander. Those that hysterically play the 'poverty' card should visit countries where it REALLY exists. eg in economically-wealthy South Africa there is NO welfare, see how that stacks up against our easy and generous country! Sharen

*Long overdue and need to go a lot further. Peter

*Create jobs instead.... Megan

*It's nasty RIGHT WING CRAP!!!! David

*Yes, but it doesn't go far enough. There are far too many people receiving some form of benefit. Gary

*Good steps in the right direction. Tim

*It fixes nothing, it is beating people up because they can. the unemployed have not caused the lack of jobs, but are being punished for it. Peter

*This government is moving in a very dangerous direction which is seriously going to drive a wedge between New Zealanders! Discrimination against a section of our society is never right and I am very sad to see what is happening to this country I once thought was a wonderful and fair country to live in and call OUR country. Sarah

*You didn't once mention the Fathers. Its all about blaming the mothers. If the fathers stood up to their responsibilities, provided for and supported their kids our children may just have a better chance. To often the fathers are violent, change their mind about commitment or just don't care. How about promoting the importance of family instead of allowing the father to run off and start a new family. Stay at home mums have the hardest job that's why so many married women choose to go back to work cause they can't cope with their kids. Its the easy way out. We should be supporting and admiring the strength of our solo mums and the blame should lie on the deadbeat fathers. Sharee

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*About time !! Jacky

*The sooner the welfare culture changes back to safety net and not lifestyle the better willy

*My direct neighbours have non working parents of children who more than often are not attending school/pre school and one house has a very "dodgey" element attracting many out of work people!!!! Judy

*The fact is that, whether Bradford and ilk like it or not, welfare has become a lifestyle option due to it being easier than working for a living. Many many people live quite happily on a benefit as seen regularly on P-10-7 and other similar programs where alcohol is always available and life is one big p--- up. Of course the kids were fed and clothed before they went to the bottle shop. There is never a shortage of desperate single parent families with 6 or more dependent kids available to be paraded by our pathetic media whenever the welfare issue comes up. At the end of the day it comes down to choice. Unfortunately there is a real possibility that the GLP&M party could be in next time when anything being done now will be reversed anyway. John

*Several decades overdue. Welfare is meant for those who need some help, not a lifestyle. Martin

*If working folk have to pass drug tests to keep their jobs to earn the money to pay the tax to support those on welfare then those on welfare should all be required to pass drug tests to receive a benefit. It's a no-brainer. Kerry

*All children should be enrolled with a Dr and have regular check ups. Cherryl

*The largest abuser of children in NZ by far, are CYF. They certainly were responsible for the most horrific abuse in our family: http://bit.ly/ourNZexperience. To date no-one has been held to account. Dave

*Let's talk more about the responsibilities that go with all the rights people have. Chris

*No, spiteful bashing of the poorest, abused for being poor, and thus demonised and demoralised. Years ago I warned particular Grey Power members who were smirking about the beneficiary cuts by Shipley to DPB UB etc beneficiaries that this could come back and bite them; sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. And now in recent weeks many cases mentioned where superannuants are given third-degree by WINZ interrogators. The notion that harassing and making beneficiaries poorer would improve is malicious nonsense. Would force them to vacate rental housing, driving with no wofs and rego, holding no insurance, further into poverty, demoralisation and despair, and eventually reaction. Does society want and might it cope with divisions born of an ideological want of punishment for the poor. Be careful of what you wish for. Leo

This week's poll asks:

Do you support the direction of the government’s welfare reforms?

*Absolutely - it should have happened years ago. Ken

*Welfare has become a disgrace. Reforms should have been introduced years ago. Shona

*I hope the reforms go far enough. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for National to make a real difference. Brian

*Yes, Paul Bennett is a very good Minister and she is making great progress with the reforms. David

*What a shame National is so useless on race relations otherwise by tackling welfare they would be showing just how good they are. Peter