Welfare Minister dragged to apologise for beneficiary mistake she made
Louise Upston apologises after benefits wrongly suspended in second MSD error
Social Development Minister Louise Upston has apologised for a “significant problem” after some people’s benefits were wrongly suspended, saying it is “extremely unsatisfactory”.
The benefit payments were incorrectly stopped following a law change that was rushed through Parliament last year.
The new law requires some beneficiaries to re-confirm their circumstances at least once every 52 weeks, to check whether they are still eligible.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) said processing delays caused by a high volume of people confirming their circumstances meant some of their paperwork was not checked in time, so their benefit payments stopped.
It could not say how many people had been affected, but confirmed they had all been paid back.
RNZ
They had to drag a second apology out of her!
They have no idea how many people have been impacted by this clusterfuck. It was initially 15 000 pensioners cut off from Winter energy payments, then we found out it was also impacting beneficiaries.
This all came about because the Government misused urgency and rammed through a brutal crackdown on beneficiaries that forced them to reapply every 52 weeks for welfare while allowing AI to step in and work the claims because they had already cut back so many staff.
So we have a law, rushed through that has caused enormous harm to the poorest Kiwis and the Government doesn’t know how many have been impacted and more importantly, how many have been purposely dumped by the AI?
MSD and WINZ under National becomes a weapon to beat the bejesus out of those vulnerable enough to need help.
The whole point is to be as obtuse and difficult as possible so that the person turns away in disgust from seeking help in the first place, It simply entrenches poverty and the State lose any outreach to the community because the community rejects them.
These rich prick Politicians who visit judgment and cruelty upon the poorest amongst us is as ugly as politics get.
Louise Upston is the worst Social Development Minister since Paula Bennett.
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Perhaps I might have to reapply for my super each year.
Well you know I might have got younger in the year and perhaps don’t qualify now.
Actually National are not at all worried about the superannuants who can’t afford the heating bills. They are worried about their rich boomer supporters who might get a bit p..d off with not getting the expected top up and can’t afford their champagne breakfasts.
Just another cruel individual in a long line over the last 15 years. This person who receives huge entitlements like the housing allowance at $52,000 per year that many working people would be lucky to earn in a year.
I expect that had elderly people died in their cold homes as a result of no payment available to allow them some heat this witch would still have denied responsibility and be pressured to apologize despite denying any responsibility.
They would cut the energy payment if they could justify doing it and may well do so when they are clinging on to government after the election.
Upston is fucken horrible just look at her face no problem her collecting her rent entitlement. I personally can’t stomach looking at her she’s so horrid.