Yeah nah on welfare fraud

Chester Borrows released:

Associate Social Development Minister Chester Borrows says Labour needs to be clear on where they stand on welfare fraud.

“Yesterday morning David Cunliffe said he would scrap our legislation to hold partners complicit in welfare fraud to account, but later in the day Labour supported it,” says Mr Borrows.

“I was pleased to have such broad support from across the Parliament, including the Labour Party, for our bill.

“So to see Mr Cunliffe promising in an online interview just that morning to scrap these changes was disappointing, even though he changed his mind later in the day.”

Another blatant yeah nah moment where the answer is dependent on who the audience is. The interview with leftie journo Gordon Campbell is here:

Does Labour oppose the government’s new welfare fraud policy whereby the partners of welfare fraudsters will be criminally liable for the fraud, and for the repayment of the entire amount – and not simply for the amount from which they might have indirectly benefitted. If re-elected will Labour retain this provision or scrap it ?

Scrap it.

Yet Labour went on to vote for the bill at the second reading. And they wonder why voters don’t know what they stand for.

Give the Greens some credit – they voted against the bill, as they are opposed to it. Only Labour states they will repeal it, yet vote for it!