Pike River re-entry, Royal inquiry into state abuse and Child Poverty legislation – this is what political leadership looks like
The opening of the Pike River Recovery Agency office, the announcement that the new Government will ignore the screams of the Public Service and hold them to account for the historic abuse they’ve conducted and meaningful Child Poverty reduction targets join the following…
…this is what real political leadership looks like and while there are concerns and legitimate criticisms to be made on some of these issues and we should voice those concerns, it is still an incredible achievement in 100 days.
However.
While this is all a great start, we still have a neoliberal welfare system filled with horrendous and awful human beings who enjoy the humiliation and domination of others. We still have WINZ staff who are crucifying the poor, we still have a culture of hunting down beneficiaries like dogs, we still have draconian welfare policy, renters with few rights, counter productive Prison policy, greedy Landlords, mass surveillance abusing Police, SIS and GCSB, entire generations locked out of home ownership and a Human Rights Review Tribunal that doesn’t have the funds to hold the State to account.
We have 370 000 kids living in poverty, 41 000 New Zealanders homeless, over 10 000 imprisoned, over 600 official suicides with suggestions it could be 3 times higher, 550 000 suffering hardship and 1600 dying annually from cold houses. Those numbers aren’t changing today or tomorrow and while the new Government has promised hope in the future, those NZers need change now.
That is the true test of the new Government, and currently they don’t have a public service that can do anything other than harm.
Now we wait and see for the next 100 Days.
Reforming the culture of MSD/WINZ has to be a crucial next-step.
I’m intrigued in what Jacinda can do with MSD as minister for children after the hypocritical Anne Tolly, Paula Bennet and John Key as there cancer is now one with its flesh. If simply torn free will cause a skism of academias greatest minds. The Torries must be made to overplay there hand. I think the more isolated MSD is and the more work programmes and expansion of WFF the better.
MSD/WINZ, ACC, IRD, NZ Police all definitely need a cultural change
and others
We need good leadership after 9 years of treating people like shit
Hope that change occurs. Its needed. I do worry about our fellow kiwi attitude to those below thier station. Hence why beneficiaries can be humiliated and no one bats an eye lid.