Beneficiaries
Benefit review group causing systematic bias - lawyer
The committe set up to review benefit decisions has been accused of lacking independence and creating a systemic bias against beneficiaries. The Benefit Review Committee has been criticised by the… Audio
Benefit review body not independent - lawyer
A lawyer is accusing the committee set up to review benefit decisions of lacking independence, and of bias against beneficiaries. Simonette Boele from Canterbury Community Law says beneficiaries… Audio
First hand stories of what it's like to deal with WINZ
The founder of Facebook page 'We Are Beneficiaries', set up to tell beneficiaries' stories, says the experience has uncovered accusations of racism and how hard life is for many solo mothers.
Video, Audio
Beneficiary drug crackdown could push users to meth
The Drug Foundation says cracking down on young beneficiaries who use drugs, could push them from cannabis onto methamphetamine because it's harder to detect. The National Party yesterday announced a… Audio
Turei admits enrolling to vote at different address in 1990s
Greens co-leader Metiria Turei has admitted enrolling at an address where she was not living in 1993, saying she did it to vote for a friend who was running as a candidate. Audio
Turei shaken after grilling by MSD investigators
Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei has been questioned about her benefit history at a meeting with investigators from the Ministry of Social Development. Video
Greens' potential partners keep distance from Turei controversy
Labour stresses the party is separate and has its own campaign, while NZ First won't be drawn on whether it would work in a Cabinet with Ms Turei.
English told to ditch drug anecdotes; Immigration and education blamed for unemployment
Prime Minister Bill English is accused of using 'alternative facts' when he says New Zealanders are anecdotally harder to employ than immigrants because too often they're taking drugs. Audio
Beneficiaries, low income earners hardest hit by inflation
Costs for beneficiaries and low incomes earners rose more than twice as much as costs did for the highest spenders, Statistics New Zealand says. Audio
More than half of beneficiaries owe Work and Income money
Sixty percent of Work and Income beneficiaries have debt with the department, with more than 50,000 in Auckland alone owing an average of $2800 each. Video, Audio
Darrin Hodgetts on 'welfare with a big stick'
Darrin Hodgetts is Professor of Societal Psychology at Massey University. He's critical of what he calls the "victim blaming, punitive approach" to welfare in Aotearoa, which is punishing the poor for… Audio
Labour speaks out on WINZ debt
Labour's Social Development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni joins Checkpoint to discuss the $417 million debt beneficiaries have accrued with WINZ. Video, Audio
Beneficiaries $417 million in debt to WINZ
Beneficiaries are a total of $417 million in debt to WINZ, with some owing as much as $74,000 each. Video, Audio
Government says benefit rise not intended to address poverty
From today, beneficiaries with children will get an extra 25-dollars a week and families earning less that 27-thousand-dollars a year will get an extra 24-dollars-50. Audio
Beneficiaries get backpaid for day of missed benefit.
Beneficiaries who were underpaid by a day's worth of benefit, are now getting their money - in some cases hundreds of dollars in backpay. Audio
Payouts for underpaid beneficiaries
Beneficiaries who were underpaid by a day's worth of benefit are now getting their money, some receiving hundreds of dollars in back pay.
People on low incomes struggling with rising rents
Beneficiaries and people on low incomes are being hit hard by rising rents and increasing fresh food costs. Audio
Government says it's not being mean-spirited
The Government says it's not being mean-spirited in retrospectively changing a law to stop beneficiaries from trying to claim an extra day's pay. Audio
Lack of transparency in law change - Labour spokesperson
Work and Income have started paying beneficiaries coming off stand down a day late for the last 18 years; the government is now trying to change the law and wipe the debt.Carmel Sepuloni is the Labour… Audio
Govt seeks to wipe millions in debt to beneficiaries through law change
Work and Income has started paying beneficiaries coming off stand down a day late for the last 18 years; the government is now trying to change the law and wipe the debt. Alex Ashton reports. Audio