Dear Simon Bridges: Please do your maths

Homeless Veteran in Boston USA: Image Matthew Woitunski Sourced Wikipedia

 

An opinion piece Intolerance fed by wrong and hateful assumptions is all the rage right now by David Slack on Stuff was a stark reminder of the type of intolerance the National Party media machine spins out to make people like myself angry at seeing my taxes used to prop up beneficiaries for a lifestyle consisting of KFC and Netflix binges day in day out - a claim that couldn't be more further from the truth than pigs could fly.

Jobseeker Support Benefit rates for recipients without children
Sourced Ministry of Social Development: WINZ

If we were to look at the current Jobseeker Support rates as they currently stand for a single adult 25 years old and above - the base benefit rate is paid at $218.18 a week plus an accommodation supplement. Urban living areas get the highest rate of AS and rural areas the least based on outdated figures well out of touch with the current cost of rental accommodation in areas such as Northland for example where the average rent for a three-bedroom home in Kaipara District, where I reside, was in the six months to January 2019 was $390 and has increased significantly since that end date it's more towards $400-$500 a week in many cases. So, we'll do the figures based on the National Party's claims to include our KFC binge at $145.00 a week.

We'll take into account as well for a person above 25 years old working part-time up to the maximum pre-tax threshold of $80 a week less tax leaving around a figure of $60 nett in the hand, a base benefit of  $218.18 plus $70 AS weekly giving a total of $348.18. I'm basing these figures for rural-based recipients in Kaipara District, as an example. 

We'll take our $348.18 and do some figures based on my costs if I was on a benefit. I'm fortunate because I've got my own property; it doesn't mean it makes it any easier. $348.18 less a mortgage (weekly) payment of $212.00 leaves $136.18. Internet and phone connection $25 a week, power $20 a week, rates $40 a week and insurance (house only) $20 weekly leaving from our $136.18 a grand total of $31.18 for groceries and petrol. So unless I don't pay my mortgage so I can have my KFC binge at $145 a week or live in the dark, get my phone and internet cut off as well I'm at a loss at how anyone on Jobseeker Support could afford KFC at all. In short Mr Bridges go back to school and relearn your mathematical basics.

Yours sincerely

A former Jobseeker Support recipient (now happily employed no thanks to WINZ)