What Mr Maharey Doesn't Want Us To Know

Steve Maharey doggedly resists acknowledging that the United States is leading the world in welfare reform.

"A study released this month shows that welfare numbers in the USA have dropped nationally by 60 percent since 1993. The best performing state, Wyoming, reduced it's welfare rolls by an incredible 95 percent. Even the worst performing state, Nevada, achieved a 27 percent drop," says Lindsay Mitchell, representing New Zealanders calling for a Parliamentary review of the DPB.

"By contrast, over the same period, New Zealand's welfare numbers, excluding pensions, increased by 12 percent. Back in 1993, unemployment was high; now it is apparently low but despite this, more working-age people and their children are living on benefits."

"The Minister for Social Services consistently denies the success of the US welfare reforms by claiming that country's poverty rate has increased and recipients reaching their time limits have simply moved to other states. Both of these claims are false."

"According to the United States National Center for Policy Analysis, 'Most of those (women) leaving the welfare rolls have found employment, increased their incomes relative to those remaining on welfare, and are gradually moving up the income ladder.' "

"It is fascinating that, on one hand, we kowtow to the United Nation's demands for 'the rights of children' . Just last week, the Prime Minister admitted on ZB Newstalk that the main drive behind repealing our 'embarrassing' law which allows the use of reasonable force to discipline a child, is coming from the UN."

"On the other, when confronted by actual overseas success in lifting children out of poverty and giving them a future, Mr Maharey and the government don't want to know."

Lindsay Mitchell

Petitioner for a parliamentary review of the DPB

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