Pass the (Food) Parcel
I see there is much left-wing hoo-ha around John Key’s remarks to the effect that most people seem to manage on the dole and that some of those who need supplementary food parcels from people like the Salvation Army are simply poor budgeters. So far he has been called “heartless”, “out of touch” and “mean”. Actually, what he should be called is right.
Of course, people on a basic “safety net” income like the dole are bound to experience unforeseen hardships – such as a fridge giving up the ghost or a sudden health problem. The benefit is barely enough to meet basic needs, let alone unpredictable expenses. But these are not the people that Key is talking about. These folk can get special assistance from WINZ to help with the sudden expense. They may temporarily need food parcels when the time comes to pay WINZ back, but usually they don’t – WINZ is fairly understanding.
No. The people Key is talking about are those that are unable to manage that tight a budget. And he is completely right that the sudden increase in people asking for food parcels and the like comprise mostly of these poor budgeters. A moments thought would tell you why. There is a recession on. The unemployment rate is up. Many of these new people joining the ranks of beneficiaries have never tried to live on such a small income. Instead of asking those who are used to making do with little, they continue many of their normal purchasing habits and wind up very short as their savings run out. These are the people who are needing food parcels.
It is important to recognise this, instead of driveling on about how little the dole is. Of course it is little – it is not meant to be a substitute for employment. It is not going to get much larger while the government is borrowing $250 million a week (an amount it was borrowing before the new tax cuts, for those lefties mumbling “borrowing for tax cuts for the rich”). But regardless of the amount of the dole, there will always be those who are dropping down from a considerably larger income who find it exceedingly difficult to budget properly. These people need help with their budgets. In order to survive on the dole, one has to be quite ruthless with one’s expenditure. There is no slack. I have had a number of friends drawing a benefit (always temporarily) and I know exactly what they have to go through, to live on so little.
And yes, we did give them food parcels. Not because they were starving but because we could. We had them to dinner, took them to movies, made sure they had birthday and christmas presents. We did it not because we are superior or patronizing; not because we felt obliged to, out of guilt; not because it was our “Christian Duty” (whatever that is). We did it because we loved them.
And if you can’t see the difference between that and state social welfare handouts, then I suspect the gulf between us is much greater than “left” and “right”.
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Feb 18 11 10:56 am
An old mentor of mine used to recall that before the welfare state, the church would help those in need.
Now, there are disadvantages to that but the one advantage is that you know your community, and you know those people who need, and those who are just plain old lazy.
scrubone´s last [type] ..A Great Trick
Feb 18 11 9:34 pm
Come on, the unemployed have to pass the time somehow, and free to air TV is so boring they just have to sign up for Sky…and what’s the point of watching TV without a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other….and then they are expected to find money for FOOD?
Feb 22 11 3:23 pm
I must insist on knowing the whereabouts of your daughter today, mac
scrubone´s last [type] ..Photos of EQNZ from TV One
Feb 22 11 5:05 pm
Not in Christchurch, thank the Lord…
Feb 23 11 1:25 am
While it is true that beneficiaries don’t necessarily need to go to foodbanks – they can get food grants from WINZ – in fact any family earning under 38k with 2 kids and little money are eligible to get food grants( normally about $150 about 3x a year ) , and any other special needs assistance.
However reports have said that WINZ insists that beneficiaries and low income earners need to go to outside budgeting advice first.
WINZ policy is that they dont. Staff say they do.
So what happens is that their food grant can be incorrectly declined. If so, beneficiaries don’t get a letter giving them review rights( they should!), so they are unaware of their rights, have no food, do not get budgeting advice – and end up at food banks. Meaning those who have lost their jobs and cant pay the mortgage miss out on food in low stocked foodbanks, and cant go to WINZ as their income is over 38k. ( perhaps the other partner earns 39k and has a $500+ wk mortgage.).
WINZ policy provides for budgeting advice inhouse – which John Key has publicly said they do – but the policy is that it is provided when a person gets a food grant or other assistance on the third occasion in a 52 week period. Ive never seen budgeting advice happen at WINZ except when I used to do a scratch budget when I worked there.
When the food grant entitlement runs out, beneficiaries have no option but to go to a foodbank. And if they go to WINZ prior, they`d be told that they have no more alotment, but wont be offered budgeting advice. Nor will they get a declinature letter.
So its to the foodbanks they go. Some go straight there, bypassing WINZ, – as they are never told that they are eligible for food grants at WINZ so they dont go to WINZ at all.
If winz followed ( and communicated) their policies, foodbanks would not be in such demand.