State of welfare defended

Press, 26 August 1982, Page 13

State of welfare defended

The Minister of Social Welfare. Mr Young, denied yesterday that' the welfare State in New Zealand is being progressively dismantled Nothing could be further from the truth. Mr Young told the annual meeting of the Christchurch District Council of Social Services yesterday. "The welfare State is so much a part of New Zealand philosophy that the question will never be ‘whether or not’ but rather 'how far' and

to what extent'," he said. His own philosophy of social welfare hinged on the principles of humanity, equity, efficiency, and integrity. "Efficiency and integrity apply particularly to the benefit section and are aimed at ensuring that social welfare is seen to be free of abuse by the people providing the money — the taxpayer. and those receiving it." Mr Young said that the Government's wish to live

more closely within its income was not necessarily incompatible with the continuance of a welfare State. The Government's, approach was analagous to that of a responsible household — carefully husbanding resources and income yet extending a helping hand to those around. However, it was necessary to ensure that welfare and other social services spending did not expand disproportionately with the rest of the country’s economy.

Last year the Government spent just under $3OOO million on social welfare. 27.3 per cent of the total net Government expenditure. “It is my belief that Social Welfare services spending, in terms of the over-all share of economic cake, cannot be bigger than the country is capable of sustaining," said Mr Young. That was why the Social Welfare Department had to cut its spending by $25 million, as announced on Budget night.