Another attack on WINZ

1. the nature of work has irreversibly changed and the state has yet to catch up, and probably does not want to. The social security “safety net” once helped maintain the reserve numbers of unemployed workers.

   But now in the era of zero hours and a precariat, the vulnerable are being cut loose. WINZ views its clients apart from Nat Super recipients as hostile and won’t even let them use toilets at some branches.

   The sort of righteous anger that several years ago lead Sam Kuha to shatter Kaikohe WINZ office front window by hammer from his mobility scooter needs to be channeled into wider political action. I don’t know the full details of the dog attack on cop so won’t defend it here, but do know that it is at ‘eat or not eat’ basic human level that WINZ and ACC pushes people to extreme reactions.

   It is policy to deny, obfuscate, confuse and deceive people that go to WINZ for help in an increasingly successful attempt to reduce the numbers on benefits. For some years now the Household Labour Force Survey has indicated thousands more unemployed than are in receipt of a “job seeker” benefit. This is no coincidence.

   In the 21st century we should be instituting GMI/UBI and discarding welfare stigma not pushing people to the edge.

2. No point commenting Martin you have said it all,main point Key is the killer of social justice, he will drive anyone struggling to survive out of Auckland and into depression . The statehouses will be used by developers to make a profit and house the more wealthy, including speculating immigrants. Key might as well get the riot police to drive the less advantaged out of Auckland to make way for the new wave of Asian immigrants and speculators to buy up housing stock ,its called ethnic cleansing in reverse. People who cant afford new rates must make way for people who can ,its all about money Key dosnt give a damn about NZ people.
   Many uni students cant attend because they cant find flatting accommodation they can afford, there are cases of students not sharing rooms but sharing beds. Why is John Key allowing more Asian s in large numbers to take over Auckland , follow the money, that’s all Key is interested in, he will exit soon and leave the messes he has caused for someone else to clear up.I am not anti Asian they are just taking advantage of opportunities as any other migrant would, but so many all at once is severely dissavantaging NZ people ,times are tough without making things worse.WINZ people are now trained to make help as difficult and humiliating as possible,any wonder violence occurs, people lose reason when pushed to the limit and when their families are hungry .

3. I think the rich, mega and obscenely rich, love john because he came from nothing made himself a millionaire and played their game better than them. Its a case of, if he can do it why dont you poor stupid people. I personally just need enough to live on with dignity. Iwould hate the work, buy, pay, work, buy, pay treadmill that they are intent on having us run on until we die. The bigger picture is to work to live, not live to work.

4. You are absolutely right. WINZ frontline are getting caught in the crossfire, literally, while doing the National Party’s dirty work for it. The Worksafe prosecution will, almost certainly, not result in improved treatment of beneficiaries by WINZ staff: if anything, the opposite will occur, as staff are sacked and replaced with computers and 0800 numbers staffed from Calcutta. Bill English’s recent announcement that the government plans to kick another 78,000 people off the welfare rolls all but guarantees future violence in WINZ offices. But English and his mates don’t care: they’re making savings whenever someone goes postal in a government office.

5. Yes its puzzling, the workers in our neck of the woods winz actually enjoy humiliating, belittling and obstructing the people they are apparently there to serve, they are still public servants, just like their masters. I personally know that some are ex recipients of welfare. I heard about this poor women who got a walk in (no appt just wait alllll day to be seen) she never even got seen, was turned away at the counter. All she wanted was an advance for 120.00 for her childs school books. Not an emergency, well not to winz. Apparently she went up the road, cried, then hitched home. I would never wish that experience on anyone. The humiliation and powerlessness must have been excruciating. They need to remove the bloody signs inside that says- it is about people, people, people.

6. The way people are treated at work and income offices are downright disgusting.

   If you look at the whole picture, Key was an ex-state house tenant, Paula Bennett also was a recipient of the welfare system. When they both came into parliament they look back to their humble beginnings and are ashamed of it. Now they both want to do away with those welfare assistance that once took care of both of them. It is like a cleansing once gone no-one will remind them of where they both came from.

   You often find people from humble beginnings don’t want to talk about their past. People that were born with silver spoons in their mouths are often more compassionate to those less fortunate than themselves.

7. Wouldn’t it be great if the govt decided to lift the shockingly low benefit rates to a liveable income to prevent any more violence at Winz offices??

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