"Exactly what is the Government up to with it's Social Security Bill?" National's Social Services spokesperson Bob
Simcock asked today.
"Once again the Government is displaying contempt for process and the public. What we are seeing with this bill can only
be described as chaos." Last night the Opposition, supported by the Green Party, expressed serious concern at Steve
Maharey's desire to rush the law change through the select committee process within two weeks. But the Minister failed
to give any reason why the normal hearings process should be ignored.
"The Social Security Non-Resident Spouses Amendment Bill denies welfare to temporary residents who have New Zealand
partners. The Bill also comes with a warning from the Attorney General that it is discriminatory against same sex
couples and should not proceed.
"The National, Act, Green and New Zealand First parties have all expressed serious reservations about the process but
the Government has refused to give any explanation for the unseemly rush, ploughing ahead and dredging up the numbers to
refer it to a select committee for two weeks. "This bill will be passed into law but most of the people who are effected
will no nothing about it," Bob Simcock said.
Ends