Our love affair with hating the poor has been on display this month on The Daily Blog with example after example after example after example of how cruel our neoliberal welfare state agencies treat the most vulnerable.
But Hastings have taken that hatred to a whole new level of crazy spitefulness…
Hastings beggar convicted of fraud
A Hastings beggar was convicted of fraud yesterday after he claimed to be homeless when he was not.
Police confirmed Frank Lovich’s case was heard in the Hastings District Court yesterday.
Lovich pleaded guilty by audio visual link to 16 charges on Monday, Fairfax reported.
The offending happened on November 16 when Lovich went to the Bay City Plaza mall and held a sign begging for food, shelter and money, claiming he was homeless, Fairfax said.
According to a summary of facts, Lovich is paid $380 per week by Work and Income, and has a home in Hastings.
Lovich admitted the facts and said Work and Income did not give him enough money, Fairfax said.
He will reappear in April for sentencing.
…how damaged are we as a nation, how petty and cruel are we as a people when we willingly prosecute beggars for lying?
Christ almighty we are becoming a terribly mean country.
Frank is a special case.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/3752874/Tills-stolen-to-pay-prostitutes
But, of course, Franks life is probably a long and twisting tale of poverty, addiction, mental health issues, prison and violence.
You would think as a society we would want to work on ending that sort of carry-on.
Yes this is sad and Frank wiould not be doing begging for kicks he had to ave a reason.
Who can live on $380 a week??????
Christ we cant and we live frugal.
Once you add up food, power, rates water insurance Dr and dentist bills then try adding transport costs and then just clothing.
No we cant live on less than $500 a week at the least now!!!!!!
Since Government are slowly adding taxes onto everything we don’t see or hear we are slowly sinking into the debt hole.
I’d be curious to know how he managed to get $380 a week. I presume he’s a single man with no dependents, and $380 is about the benefit rate for a married couple with no dependents.
My fiancee and I have lived on about $400 a week quite a bit over the last few years. It’s possible, but it’s not easy. You have to be super-frugal. Unless one of you can go straight into a full time job, it’s very difficult to transition into work, because as you get some part-time work, you lose money out of your benefit, but have less time for all the time-consuming stuff that needs to be done to survive on a benefit-level income (gardening or dumpster-diving, op-shopping or trolling freecycle etc).
Hmm. Lots of single pensioners have been wondering that for years. Especially the ones who wouldn’t have a clue, or the gall, to park up at the mall and beg.
Perhaps Frank could give lessons… Gold coin donation…
Prosecutions for fraud and lying surely must start with John key.
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