GUEST BLOG: Carmel Sepuloni – wilful blindness
The lack of data collected and reported on crucial issues in the MSD space drives me crazy. To make it worse there are times they will report and then times they will choose to withhold information. My cynical side leads me to think they are only withholding information and choosing not to report on particular areas to ensure they can’t be held to account for the increasing levels of poverty and poverty related issues that we are undeniably seeing on the ground.
Now in response to all of the ‘we do not collect that information’ type responses to parliamentary questions, I’m writing to the relevant Ministers to tell them why they SHOULD be collecting that information.
Attached is an example of one of those very letters…
Dear Ms Sepuloni
The Minister has received your letter and will be replying in due course
Squiggle
for What’s’erface the Minister of Bland Replies.
Do you suppose a bulk mailing by mean and nosy citizens, and a media nag campaign would help?
Are you going to send several copies week on week so the matter can’t be either mis-filed or swept under the carpet?
Have you likewise assailed the ministry/department concerned – department head, of course?
Does anyone in Records know the file numbers?
Are social media open for a little frisson of hot goss?
Good luck. And hope Sweetie gets her zip stuck…open. All may be revealed.
Kia ora Carmel 🙂
Thanks for this. Gradually I believe it will have some effect.
Carmel
Thanks so much for pursuing this. It is such an uphill struggle.
All power to you and what an utter disgrace the situation is
With sanctions running at 70,000 a year we have no information on the impact or numbers of children affected by how much for how long. Who feeds them when benefits are cut by 50%?
CPAG joins you in the demand for immediate upgrading of regular unbiased data on all aspects of welfare reform.