Parts of welfare State ‘in danger’

Press, 26 February 1987, Page 4

Parts of welfare State ‘in danger’

Some aspects of New Zealand’s welfare system were in danger, said the Deputy Prime Minister and member of Parliament for Christchurch Central, Mr Palmer, in Christchurch yesterday.

Rapid economic changes meant that the nation must develop social policies for today, Mr Palmer told guests, staff and residents at the official opening of a major redevelopment project at Woodchester, the Presbyterian Support Service’s home and hospital.

“Fifty years ago, New Zealand pioneered the welfare State. Since then our society has changed. Some of what we value most in the welfare State is in danger,” Mr Palmer said.

The opening ceremony marked the completion of three years work. The final stage of the project, a hospital link ward, was completed in October last year.

Mr Palmer said yesterday that the Government wanted all New Zealanders to make a contribution to social policy.

“It is time to look at what we do now — and see if we can do it better. How we look after ourselves and one another is our social policy. It is about the standards we have for ourselves and others. It is about how we live together in communities.

“That is why we have established the Royal Commission on social policy. It wilt listen to people and it will think about what our social policy can and should do,” Mr Palmer said.

“Our social policy must provide help to people who need it. It must give opportunity to the young and security to older people. It must allow all the members of our community the means to live decently,” he said. “The commission provides a unique opportunity for individuals and organisations to make their views known on vital subjects such as the care of the aged — to

consider the best way we can help the elderly as and when they need it.

“It is a chance to remind ourselves that older people have already contributed greatly to our communities and to remember that, given the chance, they will continue to con-

tribute a great richness to the community’s life,” Mr Palmer said. The last decade had seen “significant developments” in the provision of medical social services for the aged, said the executive director of the Christchurch Presbyterian Support

Service, Mr Maurice McGregor. Although the organisation had been helped financially by the Government, less money was available for capital projects.

“The last few months have been a worrying time for us as an organ-

isation with less money available for these projects. It has also been an anxious time for some of our residents with the discontinuation of payment of the special benefit. We hope that we can come to a satisfactory resolution to this situation,” he said.