I want to talk about this comment our PM (Prime minister, head honcho) of our country have said. Now, to put it in context, I believe he is one of the richest man in the country and probably the richest PM NZ has ever had.
His comment was that essentially, "Poor people are poor because they made bad choices. If they got off the dole, they should be ok"
To which, you get the usual rout of, "You try living on it" or "I'm sick but not sick enough to get a dole, what the?"
Here are some of my thoughts. Just a couple of rambles.
I think if Mr Keys is living on a dole, he will do fine. I don't expect financially successful man not to be able to do a income/expense analysis, to get to where he is. As a matter of fact, I might even put money down that he will walk away with some savings.
Some have commented on "easy for him to say", or "I wish I was on his position". I don't. I think he has worked incredibly hard to get to where he is. I don't think, let's take, Steve Jobs (Apple) or Bill Gates (ex Microsoft, both have millions as personal assets) have got there by applying the dole. They worked hard, and found opportunity to get to where they are. I can only expect the number of hours Mr Keys actually work as a PM to run the country, let alone as a husband and a father. My recollection of his background is that he didn't start rich, and came from a somewhat disadvantaged family, but I don't have any info to back me on this.
I'm sick but not sick enough to get a benefit. Well, let's put aside the whole "have to get a benefit". People might think that I will talk about my mum, but here, I'd like to talk about this tiny lady I met when I was at University. She was the Liaison officer for the student with disability. What was her condition? I don't know, what I do know is that her arms were too short, her legs were too short, she was on an electric wheel chair, and I doubt she can go to the toilet or get dressed alone. But she was an Liaison officer representing a group of people. too sick? Maybe. Not to do anything? I doubt it.
Some readers in the newspaper I read were kind enough to give us their "financial breakdown" trying to prove a point of "how can you live on this". Unfortunately, some of these alone, provides some flaws in their logic. Here's a few examples (not all from the same person).
Rent - $160... Hello? Thought of somewhere with Less rent?
Two bedroom flat for me and my baby. - Sorry, your on a dole. I know it must be uncomfortable, but really, there's sacrifices you have to make.
Internet - $100 a month... HELLO!!!! I'm a geek and I'm on a $80 a month plan. Who is your provider and what plan are you on? Have you heard of the public library?
I don't completely agree with the government. There was a time when I was in between job. I sent out CV's like machine guns (I still have my folder with all the copies of CV's in it, to remind me of that time). When my savings have hit rock bottom, I went to WINZ, who have promptly told me, one way or another, I won't get a penny for 3 months. Thanks, I only needed some money to get me by for a few weeks... Lucky that I had a lovely partner to support me at the time.
The final note, I suppose, is family. Before the time of organised government etc, we always had our "family" to rely on. That could have been our biological, or neighbor, or whatever. But in our now segregated world, we rely on only those we see, and possibly a bank.
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