INDEPENDENT NEWS

More Bureaucratic Child Abuse And Parent Bashing

Published: Thu 19 Jun 2003 08:35 AM
More Bureaucratic Child Abuse And Parent Bashing
I received my "Personal Tax Summary" (IR537) last week. On the 16th of June I finally had a chance to review the IRD's summary of my current tax account from their point of view. To my surprise IRD was offering to send me $1245.49 "Total Amount of Tax Refund". The reason's being that I had been short paid on "Family Assistance" and a Tax Rebate because my Son (7) and I's income was only $12,221.00 ie $25,779.00 below the threshold of $38,000.
WOW I thought Steve Maharey, Dr Cullen and crew were actually going to help my plea for common sense in my desperate attempts to fund "HandsOnEqualParenting" on a "Single Persons Invalids Benefit". We were getting some relief after years of reminding MP's, Dr Cullen and Steve-M himself of the ABUSE that the Law and Social Policies of NZ inflict on thousands of Parents and Children caught in similar situations to ours. It was finally obvious that it is not possible to care for a Child and oneself properly on a "Single Persons Invalids Benefit", but apparently it was possible on $13,446.49, well what nonsense but it was something.
I began to search the priorities of things we need, renew my drivers licence so I could at least drive legally when the odd opportunity arose to loan a car, perhaps upgrade my Sons bike from the one bought to suit him when he was 3, perhaps hide a bit for his 8th birthday party, perhaps pay off our debt to his music school, perhaps buy a few weeks of the proper amounts of fresh fruit, veggies and meat, and on the dreams expanded from the disciplined drudge that I work within to stay sane.
I read further into an attached form "Family Assistance" (IR541). The "Shared Custody arrangements" bit was blank. The penny slowly began to drop. They are giving me this relief because they (the computer) thinks my Son Javan lives with me full time. I then reacon this not possible as his IRD no is on the form and surely that tells them (the computer) that he spends 1/2 his life with his Mum. I also noticed several mistakes in our address and the phone number was wrong.
I dialled 0800 -787 - 151 to correct these anomalies and to check if there really was some relief forthcoming. Well we now went bad to worse. The young propaganda filled bureaucrat on the end of the phone slowly opened the IRD perspective to me virtually accusing me of Stealing from the Govt. Apparently I now owed them in access of $3,000-00. I kept asking how that could be and how was I going to feed my Son and myself while I paid this back from an already inadequate benefit. Eventually I was put thought to her supervisor in Wellington. Another propaganda filled young bureaucrat called Kathryn Baxter. After many minutes of wrangling with her she finally began to listen to my plight but kept the blame in my court rather than accepting the truth that this whole thing was yet another "Bureaucratic bungle" and passed me over to another Bureaucrat who introduced herself as "Thulgsi" from the Takapuna IRD office. She was going to attempt to get a "Statement of financial position" from me. I was being blamed for this bungle and was being offered relief from the debt if I complied. She wanted to know what I earned, what I spent on food etc. It darned on me that what I gave her would be used against me not for my Son and I and thus I asked to be sent the form.
Why did they need more information on these matters? Was it not already clear that it is not possible to "HandsOnEqualParent" a child and care for oneself on $12,221.00 and here the Bureaucrats are trying to get more out of me. We are already living at the mercy of local Churches and other friends and Family that see our plight because of a totally inadequate Benefit made worse because current law and Social Policy undervalues Parents especially Fathers.
Your immediate attention to these matters please NEW ZEALAND
Regards Yours in Christ
Jim Bailey
Auckland
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