HARD QUESTIONS: Wellington students, from left, Tiana Popata (22), Olivia Price (18) and Cassie Judd (17) do not agree with the changes - Tiana: “They should wait until they’re 18, old enough to get a job”; Olivia Price: “How will the parents supports their children”; Cassie Judd (17): “How are they going to support their children, like buying the needs for their children”.

WELFARE changes are not acceptable in the form announced this week, judging by reaction of most people on the streets of Wellington.

Of the 136 people surveyed for NewsWire, more than 60 per cent did not agree with the National Government changes announced on Monday by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett.

The first stage of what the government describes as comprehensive welfare reforms are due to be introduced as legislation in March.

Only 35% (45) of those interviewed by Whitireia Journalism students were definitely against changes.

A further 29% (37), however, said they did not like the government’s recipe for change, although many did acknowledge that the New Zealand benefit system needed fixing.

Supporters of the change made up 33% (42) of those surveyed.

Brooklyn student Jake Watson (17) was typical of those who were staunchly against the changes.

“Forcing mothers back into work when their child’s at an early age, it won’t be beneficial to the kids. My mum was a full time mum and having mums there at that age is really helpful.” (photo)

Kacy Stanners (32) of Lower Hutt is unemployed and on a benefit and says finding work around school hours is hard. “There is money for after school care, but I didn’t have my son for someone else to look after.”

Many of those with mixed reactions to the changes believe the wrong people are being targeted.

“Women who are trying to make better lives for themselves and their kids are not the problem.  A lot of young people, especially fellas, have been abusing the system for too long,” says chef Jaye Sikkema (46) of Brooklyn.

Jay says he was unmotivated when younger and believes that the benefit system didn’t encourage him to change. “Reforms are necessary but should be balanced with training and support.”

Amanda Taii (27) of Tawa feels sorry for people who rely on the benefit.

“But I think it’s a good idea and a good step towards becoming a debt free country. Then again I’m not a solo mum,” says the youth leader at Equippers Church Wellington

Eleanor Bishop (25), pictured left, a theatre director of Kelburn echoes many in favour of the changes, who are concerned about New Zealand’s benefit culture.

“It seems really harsh, but New Zealand has always had such a benefit culture. Kids grow up in houses with benefits and then go straight on to get benefits, so it’s good to try and stop that.”

Sole parent Melissa Stevens (24) of Auckland, agrees with the change. The part-time barista says: “I have a seven-month-old child, I work and get nothing from the government, why should they?”

What you say:

We asked people for their reactions to the Government’s benefit system changes. Here are a selection of their comments:

Samuel Lakeman (38), air conditioning installer, Upper Hutt: “The pros is because a lot of young mothers take advantage of the situation, having children just to get more of an income or a benefit. And then there’s other people that it’s not an advantage because the children need their mothers, they don’t need their mothers at work.”

Ian Tregurtha (60), Porirua: “How can they expect over-50 year olds to go and get a job when nobody else can?”

Nick Howe (27), builder, Ngaio: “Generally the changes will stop the abuse of the system.”

Brenna Wyllie (18), student, Lower Hutt: “I think it’s good, it’s a positive change. There will be cases where it will be unfair for certain people, but then in general it’s a positive move.”

Alison Coleman, graphic designer: “It’s nasty and mean spirited.”

Pamela Taylor (58) sales, pictured right, says they don’t want people to “wallow on the benefit” and believes it is a good idea to change the entitlements of beneficiaries.

Nick Smith (24) retail: “Every child needs a mother.” However Smith also believes a lot of people on benefits are picky about what jobs they are looking for: “It might not be the perfect job, but just get out there.”

Peter Condon (29) customer service, understands that it is tough to raise kids but also says: “A bit of a crack down can’t be a bad thing.” He understands finding a job might be tough: “It is a bit tight in the job market, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

John Coppin (23) store manager: “You shouldn’t be able to leave school and go straight on the benefit,” he thinks that the government should set up ‘job skill’ training programmes to go to, instead of tertiary education, as he believes “The government is underestimating how hard it is to get a job, they’re looking for experience over qualifications these days.”

Lorenzo Van Der Lingen (48) part-time illustrator, pictured left, has had experience on the benefit  and says the changes are harsh, “Quite honestly I don’t know how some beneficiaries manage, it’s hard enough to raise kids on your own without these added pressures,” and says there is not enough work out there for beneficiaries to go to.

Hemi Pou, (40), business owner, Miramar: “I think it’s outrageous the grief we give the solo mums because at the end of the day most people on the DPB are solo mums because men leave. It’s what we do. Kids need parents at home.” Against

Emily Lyons, (19), student, Newtown: “I don’t really like the numbers in it, but I think it’s more to kick people who are trying to abuse the system.”

Maria Reznyuk (19) Hamilton, barista: “It’s not like they’re raising the pension age, we’re not talking about disabilities here. New Zealand has too many people on the benefit and it’s bad for the economy. Why should somebody get to live off tax-payer’s money for free and play PlayStation all day, when I have to work?”

Andrew Green, (42), alcohol and drug counselling, Te Aro: “They’re going to try to put more conditions on it all, and it just seems unnecessary.”

Lee Eli (36) bar and household manager, Lyall Bay, pictured right: “My mother’s been a single mother forever. My sister’s now only fourteen. It would be pretty hard for oldies who are set in their ways to just jump back in to the work force.”

Mike Thick (21) Wellington: “It’s a really good thing to educate people, because this government is just making people lazy by handing out money.”

Hannah Whattam (24) front of house café staff, Aro Valley: “It doesn’t seem very even between what they’re offering young solo parents, and what they’re offering older solo parents.”

Douglas Woolridge, (21), philosopher, Island Bay: “I’m not convinced that single parents should get any money.”

Kasey Lloyd, (19), Student, Johnsonville: “I think some its legit. Some of the sums of money could be a bit higher.”

John McDonald (39) Karori, architect: “General objective seems to bully poor people, but there is a problem for people depending on welfare and that’s not good for them.”

Steign Matenya, 19, Student, pictured left: “One year old is definitely too young. The government needs to provide more jobs.”

Murray Wright (65) Johnsonville, electrician: “It will create chaos. People who have committed fraud with the system should pay that money back. But it’s just a safety net, as apparently no-one starves in this country.” (photo)

Nathan Laird (18), student, Lower Hutt: “It’s not horrible, seems all right. None of it really applies to me.”

Regan Edwards (30), administrator, Petone: “I like the 16/17-year-olds being vocationally trained. I don’t like how mothers aren’t valued economically.”

Judy Li (29), researcher, Churton Park: “It’s a good incentive for solo mums to get back to work.”

Bridget Lissaman, 32, fulltime mother: “I think one is too young. I have a baby and there is just no way.”

Inga Little, 34, librarian: “I like to assume people don’t abuse the system, and that those on it, need it.”

Sharon Thompson (51) nurse, Island Bay: “If they’ve got plenty of time it’s okay, but it’s unfair to widows”

Regan Dobbie, (19) student, Napier:  “I agree with it. It’s better than giving them money, and it’s more money for us students!”

Tessa Riley (23), barista, Wellington Central, pictured right: “I think it’s quite good. The money has to come from somewhere so to me it’s a good idea.”

Brian Pickett, (62) Community Occupational Manager, Kapiti: “They’re just putting blame rather than looking at the system. There are no jobs left, so the government is blaming the beneficiaries instead. It’s unsympathetic.”

Tenzyn Nangsel, (57) Buddhist Nun, Coromandel: “I don’t like it at all”

Mike Kennedy, New Zealand Film Archive, Upper Hutt: “Good to get young people into working. Young children need their parents at home. I’m not a supporter. There are better ways to go around doing it”

James Broxton (68), parking attendant, Petone: Well I think it’s about bloody time. It’s time we looked at these sorts of things. Generally speaking, a mother can just keep going along having kids and living without penalty. I know of a woman who had a child at 15, and she hasn’t had to work for most of her life.

Scott Harvey, (22) student, Newtown: “I think the existing system needs a little reform, but I’m waiting to see how far it goes and who it affects”

Ness Simons (34), Miramar, filmmaker, pictured left: “I think it’s another National bene bashing, it targets people in shitty situations and WINZ is a shitty service. It (the change) reinforces stereotypes.”

John Morrison (45) Brooklyn, unemployed: “They’ve done this before in the 90s. Same bunch of arseholes and ideological pricks doing it. Didn’t work before, won’t work now. They’re a bunch of hypocrites. They know it didn’t work then and they know it won’t work now.”

Pam Smith (57) unemployed: “If the government made professional childcare readily available this would work, and if there were jobs available. But there isn’t. We need better recognition of part-time work, which is perfect for parents. The present system penalises you if you want to do part-time work.”(photo)

Margaret Heenan (65) Thordon, retired/pension: “Good thing they’re encouraging people to go back to work, but not good to make them feel harassed. More childcare should be provided at a more reasonable cost. Not many employers like to hire people who have to work around school holidays.”

Robert Desmond (19), Kapiti, student, pictured right: “I quite like it as it’s different from the last government just cutting people off. It gives people incentive and encourages them to get up and do something rather than penalising them. We should be trying to give people incentives and options. It targets people abusing the system, I’m happy with the approach.”

Stefan Wiringi (51) Mt Cook, unemployed: “Not very good. Basically not good to be a solo mum in the first place, not going to have much training or experience if a first time mum. It would be quite hard I would imagine.”

Moira Seddon (21) Te Aro, student and full time worker: “Kinda ridiculous. National are trying to slash the whole social premise of New Zealand for a pro-capitalist economic agenda which I think New Zealand will never be.”

Kacy Stanners (32) Lower Hutt, unemployed DPB: “Not great really. I have a 9 year-old son. It’s hard finding work around school hours. There is money for afterschool care, but I didn’t have my son for someone else to look after.”

Melissa Stevens (24) Auckland, part-time barista: “I have a 7-month old child, I work and get nothing from the government, why should they?”

Toby Powell (28), Auckland, high school teacher, pictured left: “It’s not good, people on the benefit aren’t necessarily stoked to be there, they are looking for work but it’s not always there. You don’t choose it as a lifestyle. Job creation is important and people with kids need flexible work which not all employers can offer.”

Jasmine Baranpourian (24), U.S tourist: “I don’t know too much about it but I think it’s a good idea to have an incentive.”

John Paul (28) Maori Television, Wellington: “Seems pretty standard, it’s pretty stink for solo mums. Its stink because it’s hard to live on the benefit. John Key even said he wouldn’t be able to live on the benefit.”

Kylie Saunders (25) Council Officers, Wellington: “It’s about time there is a form; there’s a lot of people on that, that doesn’t deserve to be on it but choose it as a lifestyle.”

Heather Hepeta, Central Wellington (66) Travel Writer: “Don’t agree. How will people learn money skills. It’s too soon to go back to work for mother’s people are different”

Kim Workman (45) social worker, Porirua, pictured right: “The changes to the benefit just minimise the role of mothers and leave them to manage children at home without support.  It also does not hold the father accountable whatsoever.”

Sophie Hatheway (26) accountant, Mt Victoria: “I can understand reasons why they are trying to reduce the number of people on the dole but in a lot of cases single mums really need that money.”

Kimberly Mules (18), Christchurch, barista: “Everyone should get a job. People on the dole shouldn’t be able to buy smokes and stuff.”

David Cropp (63), Newtown, retired: “Extemely crappy. This whole philosophy of trying to increase employment by driving down wages”

Cara Moore (38), Newtown, Part-time worker: “It’s complicated. Jobs aren’t there. We need more opportunities for training and job experience. Volunteering might be a good way for some to get more experience.”

David Finnikin (33) Benefit, Wellington: “I think its ludicrous. I’m on the dole myself and the government at the moment is trying to make things hard for us as possible.”

Charles Niu (60) public servant, Porirua, pictured left: “Bad news. I don’t think they’ve thought through the plan. Seems like it’s trial and error. Solo mums are getting the bad end of the stick.”

Daniel Kirk (22) collections officer, Kelburn: “Making solo mums do part time work seems a bit mean, but budgeting courses incentives for young people make sense.”

Phil Sadgrove (51) facilitator of learning, Raumati: “The changes are very ‘National.’ They are completely out of touch with most people in New Zealand; they don’t understand that it is a real situation that needs to be helped.”

Marta Buda (28) full time mum, Paekakariki: “Instead of caring for their own children mothers will be forced into work and children will be getting second rate care, when it should be them at home making sure their children are being brought up right.”

David Stanley (50) graduate student, Te Aro: “Some reforms that were desperately needed has increased dramatically, it is a good incentive to get back into the workforce.”

Bonnie Mawson (42) social worker, Karori: “It is ridiculous! The jobs just are not there.”

Kash Asokan (22), Te Aro, personal trainer: “It’s a good idea. Too many people are sitting on their arses. Some people become too reliant on the government and become complacent.”

Arindom Chondhury (40) communications, central Wellington, pictured right: “I don’t know much about the specific changes but it seems quite positive. I pay thousands in tax dollars every year, why should someone just sit at home and get that money for nothing if they aren’t looking for a job.”

Marie Watterson (39) Wellington City, shop owner: “My sister was recently widowed and she has a 4 year old.  I can’t see how she will have time to recover from the death of her husband and find appropriate work by the time her child turns 5.”

Thea Meredith (22) Highbury, student, thinks the reforms don’t take individual needs into account.  She has a friend who was “breaking her neck” to get back to work after having children.  “After being back in the paid work force for a while, she was finding it really hard and decided to put her child first and care for them at home.  It seems unfair that parents wouldn’t be free to make an individual choice.”

Heleyni Pratley (25) Mount Victoria, political activist organiser: “They are punishing people who do not deserve to be punished.”

Clair Belford (18) Te Aro, student can see both sides of the argument. “It is a good incentive to make the work force bigger. But everyone’s situation is different and it’s bad to group them all together.”

Front page photo: Stuff.co.nz

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