Hosking on Labour’s leaflet

Mike Hosking writes at NewstalkZB:

If the Labour Party has reached just that bit too far this campaign, it’s with their leaflet targeted at solo mums who have babies while on a benefit. …

But what it implicitly implies, and where it shows Labour to be so badly out of touch with the bulk of middle New Zealand, is that it presents a view of work as negative.

The message is, if you work, you don’t spend enough time with your kids, that being a parent of a one-year-old means you shouldn’t have a job because that somehow is bad.

Yep, the Labour Party thinks mothers who work are bad parents. That is why presumably they are going to give an extra $70/week to a sole parent on the DPB and only $10/week to a working parent.

The children of parents who work, are shown that the world is an exciting place where all things are possible if you put your mind to it – where good work ethic is rewarded.

What does a child of a parent who is happy to collect Labour’s lifetime solo parent money make of their Mum or Dad?

And why would it then be unsurprising to see them recreate that attitude for the next generation.

Exactly, welfare dependency is generational in many cases, and welfare dependent households are highest in all the negative stats. Welfare should be there to support those who need it temporarily (unless permanently unable to work), but should not be a reason for able bodied adults not to seek work.