What's happened to the can-do Kiwi spirit?
Don't hold your breath - Labour's spin to simplify our welfare system is not going to drastically change our culture of welfare dependence.
The way the Labour Government announced their changes to the welfare system was a repeat of last year's tactics with regard to race relations, when they scrambled to make sure their legislation was based on need and not race. That move as well was all cosmetics.
It is unquestionable that for two years in a row National Leader Don Brash has set the agenda for the coming months. Last year it was race relations, this year it is welfare reform.
National recognises that, for most people, being dependant on welfare is the last thing they want. Dependency saps self-esteem and morale. Our proposals would encourage individuals to work in the community.
One of National's key principles is that of personal responsibility. Hard-working Kiwi families are supporting themselves, paying a mortgage and contributing to society as well as providing support to those in financial need. I am sure they would not want the welfare system to lead to lifelong dependency.
A National Government will make some big changes to the Unemployment, Sickness, Invalid and Domestic Purposes benefits:
Introduce a 90-day employment trial period, with no penalty at the end of that period if it does not lead to permanent employment, which will encourage employers to give beneficiaries more a chance.
After allowing a period for a job search, payment of the Unemployment Benefit will depend on recipients undertaking some form job seeking, community work or training.
Introduce tougher financial penalties on mothers who refuse to name the fathers of their children, except in special circumstances.
Women receiving the Domestic Purposes Benefit will have to undertake part-time employment, retraining or community service when their youngest child reaches school age, and this will become full-time when their youngest child reaches the age of 14.
Introduce more thorough medical evaluations for those on the Sickness and Invalids Benefits.
National aims to reduce the number of people on benefits from 300,000 to 200,000 during 10 years in Government. The four main benefits cost the country $14 million a day, and every year $5 billion - $50 a week for every worker.
We believe people who can work, should. A life on the dole should not be a lifestyle choice for anyone - or their children. Encouraging people back to work, or to contribute to the community will build self-esteem and confidence.
Education - Labour's Achilles' heel
The Labour Government claims that free education is enshrined in legislation for primary and high schools and must therefore cost nothing. These sorts of reflections are typical of Labour, which believes that if it is in law it must be true. Well, it's time to get real!
This week, the news regarding the huge amounts of money being requested by schools as a donation tells a different story, with Auckland Grammar School to the fore of the issue. Instead of taking steps to clarify this problem, the new Education Minister, David Benson-Pope, is shooting the messenger with his announcement that an inquiry will be carried out into the donation system.
Funding is always a tricky situation for schools, and there has been a drop in the amount of money coming from foreign students after the sloppy handling of the export education sector by the Minister of Education.
International education students are worth $2.2 billion a year to New Zealand and yet the Government has left the industry to fend largely for itself. The collapse of a string of language schools has had far-reaching consequences, and the ability of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to monitor the sector is still in doubt.
Subsequently, we have seen a drop in the number of students applying for visas. In 2001-02 there were 25,866 visas issued for Chinese students - in 2003-04 that dropped to 7,954.
When David Benson-Pope took up his new role as the Minister responsible for the compulsory education sector, he said there were no issues to tackle in his portfolio. Well, he's dreaming if he believes that. More than half of parents and employers recently surveyed expressed concern and a lack of confidence in the NCEA. Now, rumours are flying around about scholarship results.
National's Education spokesman, Bill English, understands that of the 900 students sitting the scholarship English exam, 300 were successful. Yet only nine of the 1,000 Biology students entered in the exam won a scholarship for that subject.
This raises questions about either the quality of the exams or teachers.
Funding and the quality of our education system are of real concern to schools and the wider community. In order for us to catch up with Australia and move forward, we need an education system that can deliver, and individuals who are well educated.
What do you think about this issue? Email me pansy.wong@national.org.nz
