11. JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What actions, if any, are taken to protect Work and Income clients who visit Work and Income offices?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Acting Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
All Work and Income sites have permanent security guards deployed and CCTV installed. Intruder and duress alarms have been installed, and all staff have received relevant security training. These measures overall are an attempt to create a safe environment for both staff and clients.
Does the level of protection offered to clients of Work and Income extend to offering protection to fugitives fleeing from justice?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
I can only imagine that the member has a particular case in point, and if she puts that specifically perhaps I can try to answer it for her.
Why, on 30 July this year, did the manager of Work and Income in Papatoetoe use Work and Income premises to hide a person who had smashed up property in the town centre, then let that same person out the back door to prevent his apprehension?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
If the member has facts of that kind, I urge her to give them to me and I will investigate them immediately.
Is the Minister now telling the House that he is not aware that at a meeting yesterday the manager of Work and Income in Papatoetoe refused to cooperate with the police and stated that anyone entering Work and Income premises is presumed to be a client and deserving of protection?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
No. What I am confirming is that if the member has specific information that she wants to be followed up on, she should give it to me and I will do that immediately.
Jill PettisWhat is the Government doing to protect Work and Income clients from being forced into failed make-work schemes, being forced to pay market rentals for State housing, or having their benefits slashed so that they cannot afford to eat?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
An excellent question. If New Zealanders want to avoid those kinds of policies and at the same time see a continuation of the policies that have produced a lot of jobs, reduced the level of poverty in this country, and lowered the cost of rental properties, then they need to do just one thing, and that is to vote for Labour.
What does the Minister say to the people of Hunters Corner, Papatoetoe who, when taking steps to protect their properties and apprehend perpetrators, then see a Government department actively assisting criminals to get away with that behaviour, and refusing to cooperate with the police?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
What I would say to the people of Hunters Corner is that on this side of the House we investigate such matters properly and make sure we get to the bottom of the situation rather than making insinuations of the kind the member has made. But if she has new information, she should give it to me and we will investigate it.
Does the Minister not agree with me that what we have here is a public servant harbouring a criminal, facilitating that criminal’s escape, and turning a Work and Income office into some sort of Notre Dame type of sanctuary for criminals?
Hon STEVE MAHAREY Link to this
As the member, I know, has a legal background, I would imagine that what she actually knows is that there are allegations that need to be investigated. We will do that in the proper fashion and not in the kangaroo court that the member seems to want to create with her questions.