Thursday, 6 July 2006
Turner responds to Collins on beneficiaries
United Future deputy leader Judy Turner said today that she is pleased to hear that National is reconsidering some
their more hard-line policy positions regarding beneficiaries.
Mrs Turner believes that there are a small percentage of beneficiary households that would be better off if
interventions were possible where serious financial mismanagement issues were apparent.
She applauds the suggestion from National's Judith Collins to give beneficiaries access a system on a voluntary basis
that helps manage their budget better.
Mrs Turner describes the proposal as "A great idea, with many similarities to what United Future has proposed.
"The goal for any intervention should always be eventual financial self-management, but to allow a beneficiary to drown
in a sea of escalating debt, particularly if that beneficiary has dependent children, is ridiculous and unkind.
ENDS