‘Separation on demand’ bill

Press, 27 February 1980, Page 4

‘Separation on demand’ bill

Statements on the in- ■ efficiency of the social welfare system, made by the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (Mr D. R. Lange), have been strongly supported by the Families Need Fathers Society. •

i The society has drawn attention in particular, to Mr (Lange’s comments on the sheer expense of the system. Speaking at the Labour Party’s northern South Island regional conference at Greymouth ori Sunday, Mr Lange said that millions of dollars had been poured into

welfare without achieving even adequate results. The chairman of the society’s Wellington branch (Mr P. J. Conroy) suggested that a change of wording in pending welfare legislation would worsen the areas Mr Lange referred to. The most recent Family Proceedings Bill changed the grounds for separation from a situation of “serious disharmony” to one of “disharmony” only. The society felt this would lead to an; increase in the amount of separation orders given, increased payments of the domestic purposes benefit, and subsequently be reflected to the emotional disadvantage of the children. Mr Conroy said - that by removing the word “serious,” legislators were encouraging "separation on demand.” Mr J.ange had spoken of encouraging self-re-liance rather than propping people up in a state of dependence, he said. Making the grounds for separation less stringent would inevitably lead to greater welfare expenditure land bigger problems.