Unemployment's Not Working.
Unemployment's Not Working.
“Kids should choose better parents.”
If you or I gave the interview Louise Upston gave on Q&A yesterday, then rather than enthusing over expanding 90 days trials, reducing payment increases, and sanctioning those on welfare, we might think “hang on a minute, maybe this is not such a good idea?”
Maybe there is a cunning plan in play? Maybe National are cancelling all the public transport projects because they’re so sick of train wrecks?
Seriously I wouldn’t bother checking the scene of this one for survivors. It was self immolation in moral outrage at beneficiaries having had it too good, for too long.
To be fair to Louise she didn’t look like she was enjoying it. Paula Bennett always looked like she loved sticking it to beneficiaries - it wasn’t an unpleasant, but necessary, task - it was the highlight of her day. But Louise always looks horrified when she’s asked a question.
As if her answer might result in disastrous consequences. But of course there aren’t any of those for her. No one will be cutting Louise’s income, or turfing her out of a job. Even though they’re still in their first 90 days, four months after the election.
But no, she won’t lose her job for seemingly, on the basis of this interview, not having done very much.
To paraphrase the graffiti above, it appeared that the Minister for unemployment had not been working.
With a corporate culture driven by Luxon and Willis, I imagine performance reviews, ratings, and rankings are a big deal in the National Party. Managing his ministers is the only responsibility our PM without portfolio has taken on.
Well, that and making sure David and Winston play together nicely. Hopefully the reviews are going somewhat better. Although judging by the low bar already set for others it’s hard to imagine what a coalition Minister would have to do to get the chop.
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Some of you might remember Louise as the Minister for Women, in the Key government, who was enthusiastic about beauty pageants.
I don’t claim to know much about the pageant world, and obviously I’m not a women (the beard is a giveaway). But saying you’re pro beauty contests doesn’t strike me as being a particularly “right on, sisters” kind of thing for a Women’s Minister to be doing.
It seems Louise has a similar outlook on the welfare of those on benefits as she had towards feminism. Yeah, nah, nice idea, but not for me.
Like her leopard skinned predecessor, Louise is in the role because she used to be on the DPB. But despite temporarily being one of them, it hasn’t impacted her longer term disdain for the poor.
Where previous ministers in the role seemed to take a sadistic delight in their actions, Upston seems almost mournful. It’s less Punching down with Paula, more Lamenting Losers with Louise. Still, needs must. Upston will deliver the cruel kindnesses required.
I’m not saying if an animal were in distress she’d be the one to bash it’s brains out. I’m suggesting she probably carries a spade with her - just in case.
So to the interview. Jack began by reminding us that this government is committed to getting more people off benefits and into work.
And so say all of us… and every government in history.
Louise was congratulated on her appointment as Social Development Minister, also her portfolio in opposition, and asked what she wants to achieve.
The Minister began by saying a report this week indicated that if someone goes onto a benefit under the age of 20, on average they’ll spend 24 years on welfare. Which is bloody grim anyway you look at it. Although my first reaction on hearing that was not to think making life harder for beneficiaries would solve the problem.
She mentioned her time as a solo mum on the DPB as having been the hardest in her life. I thought for a moment - maybe she wasn’t going to play the same old beat them with a stick until they do better tune after all?
Louise explained that for a myriad of reasons people are better off if they’re in work. Which nobody disagrees with. She might as well have been telling us people need enough money to live their lives in dignity. But then she’d hardly say a thing like that, would she. C’mon it’s not like she’s the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction!
Sorry, a correction. Louise is in fact the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, and will also be responsible as Social Development Minister for National’s programme of belt tightening for beneficiaries.
An initiative so popular Health Minister Reti might claim it as a second deliverable on weight loss. The first was encouraging the continued consumption of cigarettes to curtail compensatory eating that could’ve been caused by nicotine withdrawal.
Louise was asked for her target on beneficiary numbers. She instead talked of wanting to consider them as a single group. Those referred to as “work ready”, which makes me think of the term “spades in the ground”, and those with health conditions and disabilities.
So that’s nice and inclusive. Better yet, Louise says the intention with those who have health conditions and disabilities is that they be ready for work in two years! I’m guessing those plans might not have been produced by doctors.
Jack waited patiently, then asked his question again. What will the number be under this government? Louise started to deliver prepared statements about how bad Labour was, the “plan A” approach for National Ministers. But Jack wasn’t having it and asked, again, about her government.
The Minister said they were working on it, but eventually acknowledged there was no number. Just to be clear, that’s no number from the mob that bayed like hyenas, demanding government targets, when they were in the opposition benches.
In fairness she did acknowledge that current forecasts suggest there will be an increase in unemployment. Yes, again - these are the same guys who demanded the last government take responsibility for economic conditions while seated on the other side of the house. Yet now apparently absolve themselves of such.
Next up were 90 Day trials. Jack asking the Minister what evidence she had that they’d help get people back into work.
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