I believe we must fight for the human rights of the underprivileged, widows, widowers, parents/guardians and children.  The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill – forcing parents/guardians to send their children to day care (ECE) and make them work in the work force is the wrong thing to do and is against human rights. The job of bringing up young ones is up to the, parents/guardian.    How is that going to save us tax payer’s money. I am not saying that all pre-school child care systems are wrong or out just out to earn money.   Many factors come into play.   But the parents/guardian is the ones to make the decision of when their children attend day care (ECE).  They know the desirable age for their family balance, they know the child’s character and therefore requirements, they are aware of children’s special needs.  Each family dynamic differs.   Children’s parents/guardians ability’s and desires differ. Many children have a different home life.  Some are unique in culture and structure.  Children being split from their parent/guardian to attend ECE would affect the child’s stability.  The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill is taking away the freedom of choices that the parents/guardians are responsible for.  This Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill will further damage the home parent/guardian status.  It is not right to take control from the parents/guardian; they know their children best and must be available to them at any time and age. 

Employment is already high.   The jobs available for full timers are taken by part timers.  Bringing these people into the workforce will impact further the lack of full time work available. And yet this Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill intends to send parent/guardian of toddlers out into the workforce to take on part time jobs. Where are the jobs going to come from?  

And being employed costs the parents/guardian at times more then what they will earn. Through the added expenses of travel, having to buy items to measure up to the standards placed at them in the work force and for some other incurred costs; union membership, work social functions, items for child… And added to this is the extra time away from the home. Time lost that robs them from nurturing their child, keeping the house in order, volunteering for needy groups, encouraging and counselling others in the community.   Children have to stay home when ill and therefore the parents/guardian has to stay home, where does this leave the employer who was relying on this worker.  And will the parents/guardian receive payment for those days of absence.  

Most of our health problems stem from stress, some or a lot of the problems come from being too busy. Work fatigue is the latest big health diagnosis that is prevalent. If we make our parents/guardian work they have their mind in two places – thus being split in half. Many suffer from trying to keep the balance and as they are too busy, then either their employee or the family suffer for it.  We do not want more people on the sickness benefit.   Others whom do not give a toss about using the benefit will find escape goats such as becoming a so called student.

Being nurtured is essential in the early years of a child’s life. Orphans overseas suffer through lack of touch… And with the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill changes, children here in New Zealand will receive a care that will head in the same direction.   Especially as New Zealand ECE’s have a greater ratio of children per caregiver, compared to the lower ratio of children in the home with the parent/guardian.  With this modern age of plentiful literature, radio, television, computers, …  are in the homes of young children.  Young children learn more in their homes then we ever did.    Staying in the home saves everyone money including the government money in not having to fund ECE’s. 

A lot of the sickness in the world today is passed to others through contact.  And now this Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill wishes to force younger children into an environment that breeds illnesses and other dysfunctional outcomes.

If a mother is being emotionally or physically abused by her partner/husband – see feels trapped not able to leave. Her partner/ husband may not wish her to work. She should be home in his mind. Her young child/children are her only comfort – the unconditional love she receives from them keeps her going. Workmates would not love like that. Some men want their house spotless or are scared their wives would leave them by meeting some other man or women at work whom pulls them away. So they make them stay home. Added to that, some partners/husbands make the women get benefit for their own needs.  Possibly using force to make her receive it and give it away. Using the money to fuel his drinking or/and other selfish intents. Or the benefit is her reprieve to buy essentials such as food, clothing, etc.

There are many reasons why the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill must not be approved!    It’s not a simple fix which this bill tries to make it look like.   The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill will not fix our society’s problems.  It will worsen them.