poly poly poly politicians, how do they make the right decisions

[labellementeuse]

I haven't talked about politics for awhile, and the Maori Party clearly knew this, because a few days ago they decided they were going to... support Work for Dole. It's been blatantly obvious since the election that the Maori Party were going to swing right - I find that completely bemusing, since the Nats and Act don't give a shit about the Maori and in MMP you really need your mates, but - whatever, if they want to swing right they can.

But seriously, Work for Dole? For one thing, WFD does not work. They tried it in the nineties and, if anything, it made it harder for participants to get off makework jobs (which, by the way, would be very expensive; the Nats had a WFD policy in 2005 that was estimated to cost $100 million. This is during a time when we have the lowest unemployment figures ever, and 67% of people on the dole are only on it very short term) and on to real jobs. For another thing - the only government that is ever going to implement WFD is a National/Act government. This government is not going to be sympathetic to Maori and it is not going to do any of the things the Maori Party should be asking for. I appreciate that the habit of unemployment may be a problem for Maori (and, by the way, it bugs me that Tariana Turia gets to say that) but the way to deal with that would be iwi and community based skills training programmes - not the fucking work for dole. That would be just as much a habit, IMO, and a more expensive one for the government.

Of course, I have moral objections to WFD too. Call me crazy, but I believe that it is our responsibility to make sure that no-one in this country starves to death. No matter what they do with their time.

Look at my shiny new topical icon! complete with keywords by kora.

Comments

[amarynth.livejournal.com]

It's been blatantly obvious since the election that the Maori Party were going to swing right

You think so? Care to say some more about that?

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

They were pretty explicit about snuggling up more with the nats post-election than labour. I can't give any really good examples because I'm tired and I don't really remember, but they have been both socially and economically conservative persistently. it frustrates me but... what can you do.

[kitsunerei88]

I have no idea what Work for Dole is, but I'm getting the impression that it has something to do with the government creating a bunch of make-work jobs and people who are on welfare have to work in these make-work jobs to get their welfare. . .

I have no idea what i'm talking about, do I? A program by that name was never instituted in Canada, and. . . no parties mention anything like that in our government. I think they're more occupied federally with Quebec seperatism and preparing for a soon upcoming election (Minority governments never last. . .)

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what it is. You've pinpointed the real trouble: any work is going to be makeshift and structured so it doesn't take jobs away from others, which means, essentially, a lot of people are going to be wasting time they could be using to search for work - and since around 70% of people on the dole in NZ are on it very short-term, i.e., less than six months, and something like 80 or 90% for less than two years, that's a lot of people who clearly are searching, successfully, for work. The real "dole-bludgers" make up a very small minority, and they're the type who are just going to fall through the cracks even further if work-or-starve systems are implemented.

Besides, as Tui mentions, trials of work-for-the-dole programmes in NZ in the nineties showed that they made absolutely no difference to whether the participants got off the dole or not after a certain period of time. They just don't work. That's not even bringing in problems like mothers who can't afford to pay for childcare off the dole and are now required to spend long hours away from home.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*points up* Um... yeah, what sixth_light said. It is a dumb policy. Be thankful your politicians are too smart for it. :P

[mandor700.livejournal.com]

Work for the dole is saving us hundreds of millions under kyoto

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

um, what? 1. we don't currently implement wfd so I don't see how it can be saving us money and 2. how exactly does it affect kyoto?