More goodness from Australian Labor

Deborah Coddington writes in the HoS:

In Sydney it was lead-up to Budget week, with speculation aplenty about tax cuts, means-testing for wealthy baby-boomers and – something New Zealand could pinch – grocery credits instead of welfare handouts for beneficiaries with a record of abusing and neglecting their children.

Somehow I can’t see Ruth Dyson introducing a similar policy. If Judith Collins is Minister of Social Welfare after the election she might give it a go, but I fear the feisty Collins will be held in check by the National Party apparatchiks as Ruth Richardson was.

Personally I wouldn’t want to be the person trying to hold Judith in check 🙂

It does show again how much more moderate Australian Labor is. They’re introduced policies which are unthinkable for NZ Labour, and if National introduced would be savaged as bashing beneficiaries. Never mind it would be in fact designed to help children at risk.

What I like about the Australian policy is it does not impose the grocery credits on all beneficiaries, just those with a record of neglect. That way it does not interfere with the vast majority of families receiving a benefit, who are caring for their kids.