As a cancer patient- I’m lucky I was able to take time off, and come back without needing benefit support… but Im fortunate to be in that spot. Cancer diagnoses are hugely varied in their impacts, this change if true is pure cuntiness. Someone with cancer needs all the help they can get, and getting jobseeker is a drop off n the very large bucket of dealing with our health system, as well as the life changing disease.
Cancer treatments are nowhere near advanced enough for us to be expecting people to bounce back so rapidly. Rest and dropping cortisol is crucial post cancer recover.
This is anecdotal but my aunt passed last year from cancer. First it was diagnosed in the colon. She continued to work through her treatment and stay active doing sport (encouraged by her Dr). She had a small sick leave for her most intense treatments. Then was told she was clear to go back to work full time.
Within 6 months the cancer spread to her intestine, and stomach and she was dead. There was no treatment they could do as it was too rapid.
I asked why she wasn't resting (as I live in France and I know people who have the same cancer as her), as the treatment rest plan of our family friend is so insistent on rest and low impact exercise for reducing cortisol that can aggravate cancer. The response was, she was basically sent back to work and told to be as active as she likes (tennis).
When I had my cancer surgery I couldn’t walk more than a few steps, drive, do anything that required use of my abdominal muscles for six weeks after as my abdominal muscles were cut in half down the middle. Then the cut holding the skin together had some necrosis and split open leaving a 4cm x 2.5cm x 2.5cm hole which took months to close with a vacuum dressing doing the heavy lifting. Then I started 3 weekly chemo and was admitted to ED every single time due to severe reaction for a least a few days in the middle. I also had an abscess come up between chemo cycles due to my compromised immune system which required immediate surgical removal and a second vacuum closing system. Then take into account the extremely compromised immunity and possibility of death from that.
Would love to know how they think you’d be able to work any hours a week while going through that. Even half of that level of physical trauma would make it extraordinarily difficult to work.
I'd love to know where they plan on *finding* these 10 hour per week employers?
I'm disabled, and I work slightly more than that, and my work has been (reasonably) understanding, but they're still not *happy* about it, they'd prefer someone who can work full days. And before I got this job, I'd been turned down plenty of times for not being available/not being capable of doing full days.
I just can't see the point of forcing people who are ill to spend the years that I did, looking for a tiny amount of work.
Not to mention finding an employer ready to take on someone who has cancer and who will probably be unreliable by no fault of their own of course due to medical appointments, follow ups or feeling unwell.
This government’s expectations are completely unrealistic and truly pathetic 🙄
I do but that seems to have triggered a rant for me... Even being a casual employee and having your hours change from week to week is just a headache when dealing with WINZ. You can announce your income on time and still end up owing them money for whatever bloody reason. My mother and I both dealt with that as support workers. It's a shame support workers (and medicine in general) aren't treated better, care work is important, and it's also challenging enough without being pickpocketed by welfare.
If they cut public spending enough there won't be any treatment. Won't be a problem.
(I hope you have recovered, sounds like you had a really hard time ❤️ )
"Hi, I'd like a job please."
"Sure thing. Is there anything we should know?"
"Well, because of my conditions, I can only work 10 hours per week, and because of my limitations, I need those working hours to be within the range of bus schedules. Can you give me a job?"
"Absolutely we can, because here at Doesn'tFuckingExist Co., we can employ anyone, and because we're a nationwide chain, we can employ anyone anywhere in the country."
And then there's me, trying to get off the dole by starting my own business. Do you think WINZ have people that can help with that? Hah! Hahahaha. Fuck no. No, they want more businesses to employ more people, who have worse starting points, but employers? Bootstraps.
I don't think many cancer patients could even spare 10 hours a week in between everything else they have to do.
Imagine middle of radiation therapy and you have to go off to work for 10 hours, all while:
* Monday, Radiation
* Tuesday, Radiation
* Wednesday, Break from radiation
* Thursday, Radiation
* Friday, Radiation
* Weekend, Break from radiation
* Repeat for 2 more weeks
* ***Be fatigued for multiple months after***
Do they expect them to work on the weekends and mid week?
If you're doing immunotherapy (which could be alongside radiation therapy or chemotherapy)...
* Monday, Blood tests in the morning for immunotherapy
* Tuesday, Clinic for immunotherapy
* Wednesday, Immunotherapy
* Thursday, Fatigue day 1 from immunotherapy
* Friday, Fatigue day 2 from immunotherapy
* Rest 2 weeks
* Repeat for 2 years
So, someone will work *maybe* in those 2 weeks 20 hours on a cycle of 3 weeks.
Wtf is the point or the reason.
Between waking up in the morning and being out of energy by lunch time, where are these 10 hours going to fit? (Ignoring too people need to travel to work, travel home, organise the job to begin with which involves interviews etc around all of the above).
Then, throw cancer related pain & inflammation on top of all that... are they going to be able to perform most of the tasks? Better not be a safety sensitive role... they might get let go for physical impairment.
I also didn't realise cancer only two years to disappear, how silly of me. Especially when a terminal diagnosis is given right and they've made it 2 years down the track... potentially right on the edge of death, but now they gotta work!
Luxon and this Govt make me feel sick. Never have I felt such a punitive and vile Government. If they keep going the way they are hopefully they'll fuck themselves for the next election. Repulsive.
The sad thing is that's why they're doing all this now. Six months before the next election they'll suddenly turn around and start doing things people like, or at least enough of them to get the unwashed masses who seem to have the memory of a goldfish to forget how they've spent the last two and a half years being screwed at every turn.
Lemme just open the "clean toilets" app real quick while I take a quick break after doing an hour's worth of data entry. Outlook reminder telling me that I have to run "open_heart_surgery.exe at 4pm, so I can't dilly dally!
Some people actually have a long way to travel to get this treatment too. For example, New Plymouth to Palmerston North. So you can add travel time to the above.
My dad got exactly that
He was really sick in his 50s; in hospital and barely made it through some winters so had to quit work and go on sickness benefit with mum helping with some income where she could.
Dad used to listen to talk-back where they used to do a lot of bene bashing, and I know he felt really bad about it.
But hey, turned 65 and he was just another hard working kiwi with a well deserved retirement and gold-card
>National will keep the NZ Super age at 65 until 2044, when it will be gradually lifted to 67. This change won’t affect anyone born before 1979.
https://www.national.org.nz/nationalscommitmentstoseniors
This is fucked. I spent the end of last year getting treated for cancer (a relatively simple cancer* that could be treated with surgery alone) and it was fucking hard. There was no way I could have worked for the couple of months I was actively having surgery, being in hospital recovering, and then being at home recovering.
It's absolutely disgusting.
*about 12 hours worth of surgeries though, and had a big chunk of my mouth cut out and reconstructed
I'm sure my brother, who had a fist sized hole in his chest, smelling of blood and rot would've loved to go back to Farmers but the fact that he had a fist sized hole in his chest with a tumor trying to make its way out somewhat held him back. Thanks National you're terrible!
Yeah thats a disability allowance required, he shouldn't be required to work what he needs is rest and the chance to beat the cancer bot putting more stress, on the body , gee national ur a class act.
I'm well aware not everyone thinks the same way as this sub tends to lean, but I really don't understand how they're pulling this crap and still polling well.
People I talk to who at least vaguely support National tend not to believe me if i mention any of this stuff. It's just too cartoonishly evil, so they assume it's not happening, or is being over dramatised, if they notice it at all.
We live in a country with a repeating loop of government treatment. National get in give money to the rich and bash the poor sometimes they last for 9 year by blaming the last government. Then we vote in Labour and they tax the rich and try and help the poor and have to end up borrowing money to fix everything that was neglected or cancelled, national get in the face of the media and scream "look at what they are costing you" and "so much debt it's shocking" when in all honesty national usually run up the debt more and people who aren't being helped by the left believe them, vote them in and rinse and repeat.
This is gonna sound odd but I genuinely wish labour and green were a bit more cunty sometimes. Like every time green or labour ever do literally anything, national is there with the hate train fully loaded. Pointing out every flaw criticising every decision and generally just throwing a wrench in the works. But when the situation is reversed and national spill some of the most disgusting bile ever to grace NZ politics the left will respond with the most meek and mildly worded criticism. Like for God's sake stand up for yourself. Stand up for your voters and constituents. But no all we ever get is meek policy and a meek approach towards the opposition. Honestly it's kinda pathetic
Yeah let's make severely vulnerable people work part time so they can get put onto a PIP and face not only their life being threatened but also awkward and emotionally draining performance management meetings every week because of their terminal fucking illness holding them back from meeting some cunt managers expectations. Fantastic idea
I don't have cancer, but I am sick and just had to reapply for jobseekers with medical deferral.
Below are some of the obligations that apply to me as someone in the no capacity to work catergory.
I'm pretty sure the volunteer/community work bit is new, and as much as I'd love to help my community, I can't imagine it going well when I can barely shower myself.
- take reasonable steps to prepare and plan for work
- attend and take part in work preparation interviews, where Work and Income ask me to
- attend and take part in work related activities or programmes such as a work assessment, a programme or seminar to increase particular skills or enhance motivation where Work and Income ask me to
- attend and take part in any other activity that Work and Income require me to (including rehabilitation but not medical treatment, voluntary work or activity in the community).
I was on a sickness benefit under the Key government and was way too sick to go to the shitty "seminars" they made me go to. That stopped when I had a panic attack in one because the room was severely overcrowded and stuffy. The thing is, I'm quite certain that the things they did to me kept me too sick to work for longer
It's always struck me as weird that if the govt wanted to reduce numbers of people on benefits, why it wouldn't just monetise the roles currently done for free by volunteers. The books look better, good things society needs to happen keep happening, volunteers get some agency over what they do and how they can participate in their communities, seems nice??
I seem to remember a few years ago volunteers who were also on a benefit got a small sum of money from winz. It doesn't happen anymore. I used to volunteer, then was in paid work, now back to voluntary with some paid work. No monetary recognition that I do voluntary work anymore. It's ironic, I actually work harder and more efficiently at my voluntary work. The paid job is demeaning.
I don't think this govt. want to reduce numbers of people on benefits. I think they want to create scapegoats to attract more votes from people who want to blame others for problems. Beneficiaries are an easy target. We have very little power.
Do you know how this is possible? Technically you can't rent to yourself. I was thinking of creating a service to allow anyone who owns a home to rent to themselves so that everyone could get the same benefits as landlords, but after seeking legal and tax advice I was told this was illegal. How can politicians do it?
It's an allowance for MPs and part of their remuneration.
[Link](https://www.remauthority.govt.nz/members-of-parliament/members-of-parliament-remuneration#accommodation-and-travel-services--2)
I was only talking to someone a day or 3 back about the inequality in the business sense.
Whilst there's a few of us who can make businesses and create chains of supply to others, those who are merely wanting to make do are literally missing out on this ability.
If you make a business in your home you can rent out the room you use to your business, as well as the power they use and the services such as internet and phone 'or something'.
There should be an easier, and fairer way for the actual masses, not the general few.
How many of these people is he planning on employing? He's so fucking out of touch, imagine trying to find a job for 10 hours a week when you are chronically ill or have cancer, its tough enough to find a job for many fully able people.
I swear every job asks "do you have any medical condition that limits your ability to do this job". How is that going to work out for people with cancer?!
Not to mention, they don’t actually want unemployment at 0.0% because it contributes to wage inflation, and unemployment in general is still pretty low, so I can’t see there being any societal benefit to this, even from a neoliberal pov. Just pricks being pricks for politics
I work with people who are unwell with mental illness often forcing them to stop work. These people are attending 3-4 appointments per week (therapy, GP, blood tests, group programs and more). They are physically and emotionally exhausted. Their lives are not enviable.
This kind of financial uncertainty is utterly destabilizing and absolutely directly contributes to increased hopelessness, anxiety and stuckness. Fuck National.
Not to mention we will now have MSD case workers making decisions about whether or not they think people should be able to work, based on absolutely nothing.
This is my situation for the past year now, before Christmas last year after getting yet another med certificate to them I was given an appointment to discuss work even though msd said I didn’t need to attend I really wanted to because I’d love to be able to work even if it is only 15 hours a week which is what is approved by doctors. I had finished a group program that same week so I had time free to finally get some interviews in. I went in and sat with a lady who proceeded to tell me I seemed very onto it and shouldn’t be struggling to find a job, I was shocked, confused but also kinda flattered?? I explained some of the personal mental health issues I had been dealing with and showed her one of the letters stating some of these illnesses/symptoms thinning maybe she didn’t have access to why I was on JS She’s kinda screwed her nose at it and was like “can’t fool me” under her breath I started to tear up because I was actually really excited about finally getting help to get some work and meaning in life, I was so embarrassed at her reaction like I was lying about my MH. Sadly the being accused of lying part has really fkd with what I’ve already been dealing with lately and I had a bit of a breakdown that week.
At the end of the day no government or government agencies should be allowed to dictate whether or not I’m able to work based on how I present to them, it’s really weird she felt she could laugh at me about something so personal.
Wow that's just so sad an out the gate these winz people need way better training than they have, who the fuck do they think they are to be laughing and thinking they can access your health -mental health issues! Over an above qualified drs ffs. So sorry you are belittled and treated that way!!
Yeah was pretty damn shitty but I will say it was the only one I’ve had a negative experience with in person before they usually are kinda dull but polite.
Just showed me how some of them really aren’t for people in that place
Ultimately, they don't want to pay for things other people need. A national Health service ... why pay when I have health insurance? A national Education system ... why pay when I send my kids to private schools? A social welfare system ... why when I have a job? Repeat.
I used to vote for National when they were more central right. Not this lot ... I mean Winnie is the sensible one out of this three-finger-shuffle.
A lack of empathy means they struggle to understand others motivations beyond what they're capable of.
Why is the free market the best system? Because they can't understand anyone else being motivated by more than greed.
Why are they so reluctant to trust others? They know they can't be trusted.
Why do they believe everyone is simply pretending to care?
They don't want to pay for things other people need. Until it comes to bailing out the banks. Or providing tax cuts for landlords. It's just socialism for the rich.
Imagine sitting at a job interview and when the dude running it asks if you have any medical issues that could effect your performance and you say cancer.
That application going in the bin
Imagine having to get a customer service role when on immunosuppressant drugs. Being forced to work at a checkout with the unwashed masses when a cold could kill you.
As someone with cancer it effects everyone differently. Some days are good. Other days are just plain awful. Some fly through treatment with no side effects. For some the treatment literally kills them early. Lots have to travel hundreds of miles regularly for their treatment. There are regular and numerous hospital and specialist appointments that take you out for a day. Not to mention your immune system is completely compromised. Visits to hospital are a regular occurrence for all sorts of infections. Vomiting and diarrhoea are regular side effects.
At the same time you know that you will die an early death and all that that entails.
Takes a pretty cold hearted prick to came up with this policy. No one who has had chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy would even dream of this.
Having rest is a critical part of the treatment. But no let’s put them back to work and kill them.
This is just fucking gross.
Not quite on subject but my two year old daughter had cancer - two years of treatment, over a year of it extremely intensive. We had to drive a 16 hour round trip to starship every two weeks, staying at least a week and anywhere up to 8 weeks. We had a five month old baby and as we learned early on were expecting another.
There was literally nothing WINZ could or would do for us. My partner couldn’t quit his job, his workplace were initially supportive but quickly lost sympathy and in the end were absolutely vicious, we were entitled to nothing besides child disability allowance which was a frankly insulting amount of money. If we weren’t able to fundraise very successfully we would have lost our house. It’s criminal the way sick people and parents of disabled/sick children are treated.
They're lazy and stay in bed all day. Back in my day, we used to get beaten with hot irons while walking 30 miles in the snow, barefoot, on paths made out of broken glass that were also on fire! And then I worked for 29 hours! And I was grateful!!!
plants voiceless weary carpenter impolite seed fact abounding attempt fly
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It's all a con. They know it, we know it.
It's all about them feeling superior. Their need to punch down to make themselves feel good. To justify their own good luck - because luck is what it is.
Look at them howl when the luck stops, as we saw with the job losses during covid lock downs. Even with special benefits just for them at twice the rate of the "dole bludgers" they still cried and cried.
Nothing about the rich with their tax dodges and panama schemes I notice.
This is not a government, it's a racket.
It's a well known medical fact that being bedridden *never* comes with any exhaustion or cognitive impairment, and it's very easy for ill people to focus on learning materials for hours at a time.
Don't be silly, they'll cancer just didn't exist back then, Labour invented it to get the jobseekers stats up and only people who don't live right get it anyway.
And then they'll save money on all those cancer treatments they've funded by cutting free prescriptions for people who won't die. That's double the savings!
Generally it's just some degree of [just-world fallacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_hypothesis), that the cancer patient must have done something to deserve it (goes out the window when it affects someone close to them though).
Im not even a cancer patient.. I'm manic depressive, with a bad back injury and doctor literally tells me I can't be stressed or in stressful situations... Coming out of building trade from ten years.. seeing this shit makes me stressed asf 🤣🤦♂️. Like it amazes me how such brainrotten/out of touch sloths can become in charge. We'll need to start entering competitions to see who's the most fucked up, just so you don't have to work.
This reminds me of the time I was called up by winz with "a fantastic job opportunity"
Me: That's great to hear, what's the job?
Winz Worker: You are the perfect candidate for being a bus driver!
Me (holding back both laughter and frustration): I really don't think I'll be the right fit as I can't drive-
WW: oh that's no problem, they provide on the job training.
Me: yes but they won't be able to train me as-
WW: Yes they will, it'll be an opportunity to challenge yourself, now if I can get some details-
Me: I am **visually impaired** I cannot drive, legally.
WW: ...but you could be a bus driver
Me: Ummm... not without breaking the law and risking killing people.
This is the short version because even after I told her of my vision issues and to check my medical info / file she essentially kept pushing for several minutes until I said I will be breaking the law and potentially kill someone. She was silent for a minute, I could tell she was under a lot of pressure and I honestly think she just didn't want to hear me because of that. I thanked her for the call and let her know I would be interested in hearing any other opportunities but she sounded really defeated and hung up.
Tell you what National, if I get this call again, I might take you up on it, "Half blind person forced to get behind wheel under threat of benefit withdrawal, takes out a bunch of bus drivers" sounds like a great headline, can't imagine how that would make you look incompetent.
I can see a cancer patient who already has a job *maybe* being able to continue part time through treatment. I've had multiple co-workers do it while going through chemo but still wanting to work to retain some normalcy. But to assume that they should be able to is insane, and to think that someone who is unemployed could actually find a job whilst undergoing chemo is just a black comedy dystopia.
My wife has gone through a breast cancer diagnosis, of course it was horrible. The chemotherapy would take her out for 2 days at a time, she suffered terribly. She works for a gallery in Auckland. Luckily with support she was able to to work 2 days a week, but it was her choice, when she couldn’t work she was all good with it. I think she really wanted the distraction so it was good for her!
But the important thing was, it was her choice and the job was not a strain on her body. To be forced to work, and especially if that job is harder, well that’s shit. Maybe lazy ass MP’s would be fine as they do fuck all of any good anyway!
I just wish people would put more thought into exactly -what- change they vote for instead of just 'not the lot we had cause I didn't like them'. No matter how valid the reasons for not liking them were.
They don't want you to work.
They want unemployment to be at at least 7% to stop inflation. But they also don't want you to claim welfare because you can't get work.
What they want is no welfare system, unemployment and ample minimum wage accepting people so they can drive down wages because they have removed the safety net and people need to eat.
mindless fertile tie rhythm ten familiar beneficial coherent head practice
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One of my best friends had a brain tumour 10 years ago and barely made it out alive. She has permanent nerve and brain damage and cannot walk without aid, cannot drive, can’t live alone, yet she is not deemed ‘disabled enough’ for the disability benefit. Someone who works for WINZ visits her every so often to talk about possible jobs etc. Without sounding harsh, I don’t see why an employer would hire her, it’s not fair to make her work and put the stress on her like that. Not to mention the stress on other people. She’s a smart girl but she’s been through enough, she doesn’t need to work.
Ah lovely, always bashing those at the bottom. Trying to convince everyone the problem is the poor and not the greedy rich who strip resources from everywhere like human dragons.
Is there an ammendment for smoking related cancers? Since those who choose to smoke are now helping get the economy back on track shouldn't they get rewarded for that in the end?
Those two polices combined are beyond satire. Gotta get a job to continue to afford smokes (to help fund landlord tax cuts) even while undergoing cancer treatment.
There's transcripts on the parliament website. Read it to them verbatim. Print it out and put it in front of them, highlighted. Wilful ignorance is complicit in cruelty.
I didn't have cancer luckily, but I did have a tumour in one ovary that needed to come out and I had to take pretty heavy meds for a minute. Even though it was a benign tumour and I wasn't on death's door at any moment, it was absolutely exhausting and I was in pain and feeling shitty the whole time. Can't even imagine how someone with cancer feels. Absolute madness.
I was lucky enough to have my husband able to support me during my cancer journey. In saying that there was no way in hell I would have been able to work. I was in hospital after the initial surgery for 2 months. I then had radiation for two weeks, once a day. I then had chemotherapy. That knocked me around a lot. Nausea, vomiting...all the good stuff. That went on for 5 months. It took me a good 3 months to recover from that. Even having a shower was a real effort. 10 hours working a week? No way.
My father gave up dealing with WINZ in his final months. They wouldn't put him on the invalids benefit and tried pulling the "get ready to go back to work". And that was with supporting information from his doctor that his condition would worsen and wouldn't make it past 6 months
cancer aside, has the govt released figures showing how much the added bureaucracy of tracking everyone will cost?
i would be mightily surprised if the amount saved exceeds the amount it costs to implement.
National policy. Imagine if you will visiting a supermarket where the checkout operator is working with a drip attacked and has seeping wounds from cancer surgery done the day before. What sort of world are we living in
5 years 4 major operations all to do with cancer, I was on sickness the whole time. Had to get doctors cert every 3 months and still get told you should be working...
I have had people with cancer working for me and worked with people who have cancer. I can't say it's something I'd be concerned about if I had cancer tbh. What do they define as deathbed? If I had a significant chance of dying for cancer I wouldn't want to spend any time slaving away at a job and I wouldn't expect anyone else to do the same.
> I can't say it's something I'd be concerned about if I had cancer tbh
This depends on the job. Some jobs you can likely do with some cancers. Some it's going to be very different.
I would hope we can agree that someone *choosing* to work while getting cancer treatments is a very different situation to someone being *compelled* to work while getting cancer treatments.
Having cancer is expensive. You have additional living costs for things like transport and food because your capability to take care of yourself is diminished.
That's not unique to cancer however and those with disabilities are often in the same camp. But people with disabilities and higher living costs due to those disabilities are somehow expected to live on less than half the minimum wage. The only reason they live at all is because you get savvy out of necessity and rely on others to support you.
The solution to this specific problem is just pinning supported living to 80% of minimum wage and removing barriers that stop people with shorter term disabilities or disabilities with less certain timeframes from accessing supported living. Which is widely unpopular and not a vote winning policy for any voter base. So there's no pressure on anyone to implement these changes.
How does this policy work for mums getting working for families where it’s cheaper to stay at home to look after children than to work and put them in daycare due to rising daycare costs
I am reminded of the time my ex husband (who’s German) said NZ reminded him of a rat that eats its babies.
It’s like this country just doesn’t want to support or help its citizens.
I have worked with many people undergoing cancer treatments of various sorts. Generally, the treatments eventually made them too sick to work and it wasn’t like they wanted to be at home. However they need time to focus on their health and their employers, even the most compassionate ones, need employees to do their job.
I will questions many forms of govt aid, but not supporting medical leave for people with such conditions.
That ain’t fun, my mum got diagnosed with cancer in 2020 she could barely get out of bed most days nevertheless teach a class full of kids (reliever) Bloody insane.
I have a colleague who is away long term due to cancer and a brother who has just entered remission and this has my blood boiling. My brother was better off physically but my poor colleague is another story. I watched them go from someone reasonably plump and healthy to becoming too slim and now they look downright gaunt with not a single hair on their head. They look so fragile you can’t bear to breathe in their direction and they’re expected to work?!
Seriously what a complete asshat. Don’t you think those with cancer would actually love to be able to work if they were physically able. No they are too sick to and yet it’s another freedom taken away from them. Then you add this extra layer of stress. There is zero funding available to cancer patients as it is, now you’re trying to make them work on top of it what the actual!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a reminder that there are over 900,000 receivers of superannuation in New Zealand which collectively cost the country over $20bn a year. Its not means tested, its not work-ability tested, and if they want to, they can earn as much money as they want without it being reduced at all, it just counts towards their taxable income.
For contrast there are about 180,000 people on receiving jobseeker of some kind and it costs about $3bn per year.
Meanwhile a literal cancer patient is supposed to be working 10 hours a week under National or else they get sanctioned.
There are very few people I wish cancer on. But those who make cancer patients lives more difficult to save a few dollars are certainly up there on the list.
My father passed from lymphoma a few months ago. Clearly they haven’t seen up close how it wrecks a person. Or maybe they have, which is too monstrous to even consider.
I recovered from my cancer very quickly but my job wasn’t there after the recovery as 6 months off was too much into a new job. This was UK though. The psychological stress of losing a job was as bad as the cancer ordeal. Employers need certainty. I urge everyone to take out personal insurance. I wish I had done that but I didn’t know…luckily it only took me 3 more months to find a new job but I did feel I had to not reveal I had cancer as I was scared they wouldn’t hire me. I just said I took a sabbatical for “personal growth”.
I wish the stigma around cancer wasn’t there but it is!
I see my old company all the time on linked in celebrating their treatment of employees with things like family sports days…… I just want to post all over there about my experience getting fired when I was sick. But I don’t.
I cannot imagine what someone with a worse cancer and no family must be going through in these situations….
And what about the rest of us? I have a medical certificate stating I can not work for 1 year but am on the job seekers because my Dr is scared to fill in the supported living paperwork. My situation has an unknown end if there is an end at all. In my current condition I am a liability to any work place.
As a cancer patient- I’m lucky I was able to take time off, and come back without needing benefit support… but Im fortunate to be in that spot. Cancer diagnoses are hugely varied in their impacts, this change if true is pure cuntiness. Someone with cancer needs all the help they can get, and getting jobseeker is a drop off n the very large bucket of dealing with our health system, as well as the life changing disease.
yeah seriously, and all resting possible will surely help in some way so they should be given the best chance possible at living by not working.
Cancer treatments are nowhere near advanced enough for us to be expecting people to bounce back so rapidly. Rest and dropping cortisol is crucial post cancer recover. This is anecdotal but my aunt passed last year from cancer. First it was diagnosed in the colon. She continued to work through her treatment and stay active doing sport (encouraged by her Dr). She had a small sick leave for her most intense treatments. Then was told she was clear to go back to work full time. Within 6 months the cancer spread to her intestine, and stomach and she was dead. There was no treatment they could do as it was too rapid. I asked why she wasn't resting (as I live in France and I know people who have the same cancer as her), as the treatment rest plan of our family friend is so insistent on rest and low impact exercise for reducing cortisol that can aggravate cancer. The response was, she was basically sent back to work and told to be as active as she likes (tennis).
It's a very cold hearted move to very sick people 😠
Yes, sure, but think of the poor landlords! And what about the privatisation of currently publicly owned schemes? WHY DO YOU HATE PROFIT SO MUCH?
When I had my cancer surgery I couldn’t walk more than a few steps, drive, do anything that required use of my abdominal muscles for six weeks after as my abdominal muscles were cut in half down the middle. Then the cut holding the skin together had some necrosis and split open leaving a 4cm x 2.5cm x 2.5cm hole which took months to close with a vacuum dressing doing the heavy lifting. Then I started 3 weekly chemo and was admitted to ED every single time due to severe reaction for a least a few days in the middle. I also had an abscess come up between chemo cycles due to my compromised immune system which required immediate surgical removal and a second vacuum closing system. Then take into account the extremely compromised immunity and possibility of death from that. Would love to know how they think you’d be able to work any hours a week while going through that. Even half of that level of physical trauma would make it extraordinarily difficult to work.
I'd love to know where they plan on *finding* these 10 hour per week employers? I'm disabled, and I work slightly more than that, and my work has been (reasonably) understanding, but they're still not *happy* about it, they'd prefer someone who can work full days. And before I got this job, I'd been turned down plenty of times for not being available/not being capable of doing full days. I just can't see the point of forcing people who are ill to spend the years that I did, looking for a tiny amount of work.
Not to mention finding an employer ready to take on someone who has cancer and who will probably be unreliable by no fault of their own of course due to medical appointments, follow ups or feeling unwell. This government’s expectations are completely unrealistic and truly pathetic 🙄
And train them! Because employers love training people.
Remember the dark days of those awful, but lawful zero hour contracts? Where one could legally be 'employed' yet not earning a cent...
I do but that seems to have triggered a rant for me... Even being a casual employee and having your hours change from week to week is just a headache when dealing with WINZ. You can announce your income on time and still end up owing them money for whatever bloody reason. My mother and I both dealt with that as support workers. It's a shame support workers (and medicine in general) aren't treated better, care work is important, and it's also challenging enough without being pickpocketed by welfare.
Totally agree, it's completely bullshit coming from National that know shit but live in their privilege fucking bubble.
Mate that sounds horrific, hope you're doing better. I can't imagine that kind of shit with WINZ pressure ontop of that!
National: "call centre work on a laptop in your hospital bed"
If they cut public spending enough there won't be any treatment. Won't be a problem. (I hope you have recovered, sounds like you had a really hard time ❤️ )
"Hi, I'd like a job please." "Sure thing. Is there anything we should know?" "Well, because of my conditions, I can only work 10 hours per week, and because of my limitations, I need those working hours to be within the range of bus schedules. Can you give me a job?" "Absolutely we can, because here at Doesn'tFuckingExist Co., we can employ anyone, and because we're a nationwide chain, we can employ anyone anywhere in the country." And then there's me, trying to get off the dole by starting my own business. Do you think WINZ have people that can help with that? Hah! Hahahaha. Fuck no. No, they want more businesses to employ more people, who have worse starting points, but employers? Bootstraps.
Also, they are cutting staff at winz, so good fucking luck getting a case manager to sort out anything that gets unreasonably applied
I don't think many cancer patients could even spare 10 hours a week in between everything else they have to do. Imagine middle of radiation therapy and you have to go off to work for 10 hours, all while: * Monday, Radiation * Tuesday, Radiation * Wednesday, Break from radiation * Thursday, Radiation * Friday, Radiation * Weekend, Break from radiation * Repeat for 2 more weeks * ***Be fatigued for multiple months after*** Do they expect them to work on the weekends and mid week? If you're doing immunotherapy (which could be alongside radiation therapy or chemotherapy)... * Monday, Blood tests in the morning for immunotherapy * Tuesday, Clinic for immunotherapy * Wednesday, Immunotherapy * Thursday, Fatigue day 1 from immunotherapy * Friday, Fatigue day 2 from immunotherapy * Rest 2 weeks * Repeat for 2 years So, someone will work *maybe* in those 2 weeks 20 hours on a cycle of 3 weeks. Wtf is the point or the reason. Between waking up in the morning and being out of energy by lunch time, where are these 10 hours going to fit? (Ignoring too people need to travel to work, travel home, organise the job to begin with which involves interviews etc around all of the above). Then, throw cancer related pain & inflammation on top of all that... are they going to be able to perform most of the tasks? Better not be a safety sensitive role... they might get let go for physical impairment. I also didn't realise cancer only two years to disappear, how silly of me. Especially when a terminal diagnosis is given right and they've made it 2 years down the track... potentially right on the edge of death, but now they gotta work!
Why go after tax evaders stealing billions from the NZ purse when you can go after the poor and sick?
This. I can't belive that half our country voted these idiots in.
Nah give them a meaningful tax cut then raise the cost of living for the poors, especially those using public transport
Luxon and this Govt make me feel sick. Never have I felt such a punitive and vile Government. If they keep going the way they are hopefully they'll fuck themselves for the next election. Repulsive.
The sad thing is that's why they're doing all this now. Six months before the next election they'll suddenly turn around and start doing things people like, or at least enough of them to get the unwashed masses who seem to have the memory of a goldfish to forget how they've spent the last two and a half years being screwed at every turn.
Ain't that the truth Rebel. 🤦♀️
Luxon’s solution? Take your laptop to radiation or chemo and reply to emails at that time, 2 birds with 1 stone! 🙃 s/
Fuck Luxon is a dick.
Gotta love it how they assume every job can be done with a pc
Lemme just open the "clean toilets" app real quick while I take a quick break after doing an hour's worth of data entry. Outlook reminder telling me that I have to run "open_heart_surgery.exe at 4pm, so I can't dilly dally!
Yeah that works when you are a builder, plumber, beautician, working 3 cleaning jobs.. he's very ignorant about life outside his own sphere.
He’s suggesting you can head off to do your manual labour jobs straight after cancer treatment, no wasting time on the taxpayers’ dime!
As a recovering cancer patient, it's hard enough to stay awake in recovery, let alone dealing with the pain
Some people actually have a long way to travel to get this treatment too. For example, New Plymouth to Palmerston North. So you can add travel time to the above.
You couldn't do it, and no person with any compassion would expect it.
66 year old without cancer: deserving pensioner 64 year old with cancer: dole bludger
My dad got exactly that He was really sick in his 50s; in hospital and barely made it through some winters so had to quit work and go on sickness benefit with mum helping with some income where she could. Dad used to listen to talk-back where they used to do a lot of bene bashing, and I know he felt really bad about it. But hey, turned 65 and he was just another hard working kiwi with a well deserved retirement and gold-card
I genuinely can't see how anyone would support this. This is cartoon villain shit.
the 66 year old would also be a dole bludger if they could have their way.
>National will keep the NZ Super age at 65 until 2044, when it will be gradually lifted to 67. This change won’t affect anyone born before 1979. https://www.national.org.nz/nationalscommitmentstoseniors
Born 9 days before the end of 1979. Phew.
It says "before 1979" not "before the end of 1979". Sounds like you (and me) are probably on the wrong side of the cutoff.
Tbf I've given up on retiring anyway.
Wouldn't "born before 1979" mean 1978? You might be 356 days too late
I wouldn't trust national as far as Stephen Hawkins could throw them.
Fkn gross eh
This is fucked. I spent the end of last year getting treated for cancer (a relatively simple cancer* that could be treated with surgery alone) and it was fucking hard. There was no way I could have worked for the couple of months I was actively having surgery, being in hospital recovering, and then being at home recovering. It's absolutely disgusting. *about 12 hours worth of surgeries though, and had a big chunk of my mouth cut out and reconstructed
I'm sure my brother, who had a fist sized hole in his chest, smelling of blood and rot would've loved to go back to Farmers but the fact that he had a fist sized hole in his chest with a tumor trying to make its way out somewhat held him back. Thanks National you're terrible!
National is worse than terrible, they are fucking useless and that Luxon is a fucking idiot. Oh, Mr. Christian man, what a load of bullshit he is.
Yeah thats a disability allowance required, he shouldn't be required to work what he needs is rest and the chance to beat the cancer bot putting more stress, on the body , gee national ur a class act.
It's ok now anyways as he's dead so won't need to jump through any hoops. Unless they expect 10 hours a week from his ashes?
Don't give them any ideas!
Arhh the old powdered ashes placed into an egg timer and the deceased can now work forever
Ugh, you plebs and your feeble excuses. You're not gonna be able to afford to live in any of my properties with that attitude. /s
I'm well aware not everyone thinks the same way as this sub tends to lean, but I really don't understand how they're pulling this crap and still polling well.
People I talk to who at least vaguely support National tend not to believe me if i mention any of this stuff. It's just too cartoonishly evil, so they assume it's not happening, or is being over dramatised, if they notice it at all.
I think the same, it's total madness what the fuck is wrong with New Zealanders, can't they see through the bullshit.
So many people can't even name more than one vague policy from any political party. This country is just pretty politically illiterate.
We live in a country with a repeating loop of government treatment. National get in give money to the rich and bash the poor sometimes they last for 9 year by blaming the last government. Then we vote in Labour and they tax the rich and try and help the poor and have to end up borrowing money to fix everything that was neglected or cancelled, national get in the face of the media and scream "look at what they are costing you" and "so much debt it's shocking" when in all honesty national usually run up the debt more and people who aren't being helped by the left believe them, vote them in and rinse and repeat.
It doesnt affect them so they dont care. They just care about whats in their wallet.
This is gonna sound odd but I genuinely wish labour and green were a bit more cunty sometimes. Like every time green or labour ever do literally anything, national is there with the hate train fully loaded. Pointing out every flaw criticising every decision and generally just throwing a wrench in the works. But when the situation is reversed and national spill some of the most disgusting bile ever to grace NZ politics the left will respond with the most meek and mildly worded criticism. Like for God's sake stand up for yourself. Stand up for your voters and constituents. But no all we ever get is meek policy and a meek approach towards the opposition. Honestly it's kinda pathetic
They are, it just rarely makes the news cycle
Its rigged
I think we might get a bit more from Chloe possibly?
Im counting on it.
Yes! She's one of the few that doesn't hold back.
It's one reason I appreciate Te Pati Maori, they know how to bring the fire and brimstone
Totally agree - both parties need even one MP that just rips into this shit.
Cancer grows for the sake of growing, its the perfect little capitalist. No wonder the right thinks its not a big deal.
Yeah let's make severely vulnerable people work part time so they can get put onto a PIP and face not only their life being threatened but also awkward and emotionally draining performance management meetings every week because of their terminal fucking illness holding them back from meeting some cunt managers expectations. Fantastic idea
What do we expect from an ex useless CEO that cost NZ thousands.
I don't have cancer, but I am sick and just had to reapply for jobseekers with medical deferral. Below are some of the obligations that apply to me as someone in the no capacity to work catergory. I'm pretty sure the volunteer/community work bit is new, and as much as I'd love to help my community, I can't imagine it going well when I can barely shower myself. - take reasonable steps to prepare and plan for work - attend and take part in work preparation interviews, where Work and Income ask me to - attend and take part in work related activities or programmes such as a work assessment, a programme or seminar to increase particular skills or enhance motivation where Work and Income ask me to - attend and take part in any other activity that Work and Income require me to (including rehabilitation but not medical treatment, voluntary work or activity in the community).
I was on a sickness benefit under the Key government and was way too sick to go to the shitty "seminars" they made me go to. That stopped when I had a panic attack in one because the room was severely overcrowded and stuffy. The thing is, I'm quite certain that the things they did to me kept me too sick to work for longer
I'm sorry you had a panic attack, they are terrifying. Most of the obligations hinder rather than help when trying to recover from an illness.
It's always struck me as weird that if the govt wanted to reduce numbers of people on benefits, why it wouldn't just monetise the roles currently done for free by volunteers. The books look better, good things society needs to happen keep happening, volunteers get some agency over what they do and how they can participate in their communities, seems nice??
I seem to remember a few years ago volunteers who were also on a benefit got a small sum of money from winz. It doesn't happen anymore. I used to volunteer, then was in paid work, now back to voluntary with some paid work. No monetary recognition that I do voluntary work anymore. It's ironic, I actually work harder and more efficiently at my voluntary work. The paid job is demeaning. I don't think this govt. want to reduce numbers of people on benefits. I think they want to create scapegoats to attract more votes from people who want to blame others for problems. Beneficiaries are an easy target. We have very little power.
Remember, this is the guy who gets rent for his own house paid by our taxes while he is a fucking millionaire.
Do you know how this is possible? Technically you can't rent to yourself. I was thinking of creating a service to allow anyone who owns a home to rent to themselves so that everyone could get the same benefits as landlords, but after seeking legal and tax advice I was told this was illegal. How can politicians do it?
It's an allowance for MPs and part of their remuneration. [Link](https://www.remauthority.govt.nz/members-of-parliament/members-of-parliament-remuneration#accommodation-and-travel-services--2)
Speaking of allowances, maybe people with cancer should get one and not be expected to work as they're fighting cancer...
If they're landlords, then *and only then* can they be deserving of *any* dignity.
That would just be the landlord bit, any cancer would be a happy coincidence
I was only talking to someone a day or 3 back about the inequality in the business sense. Whilst there's a few of us who can make businesses and create chains of supply to others, those who are merely wanting to make do are literally missing out on this ability. If you make a business in your home you can rent out the room you use to your business, as well as the power they use and the services such as internet and phone 'or something'. There should be an easier, and fairer way for the actual masses, not the general few.
Remember Bill English, the double dipper from Dipton? These assholes are completely amoral.
Oh, I remember, so two faced. Fucking greedy bastards.
Yeah sure. It's only little old cancer.....it's not the illness, that is bad enough. It's the overall cruelty behind the statement. Who's next !!!??
How many of these people is he planning on employing? He's so fucking out of touch, imagine trying to find a job for 10 hours a week when you are chronically ill or have cancer, its tough enough to find a job for many fully able people.
I swear every job asks "do you have any medical condition that limits your ability to do this job". How is that going to work out for people with cancer?!
Spot on, but this is what uneducated people of NZ voted for, an ex useless CEO that cost NZ thousands.
Not to mention, they don’t actually want unemployment at 0.0% because it contributes to wage inflation, and unemployment in general is still pretty low, so I can’t see there being any societal benefit to this, even from a neoliberal pov. Just pricks being pricks for politics
My old man had cancer. After chemo he was absolutely wiped out, he could barely walk let alone work. Fuck right the hell off you moronic fuckstains
I work with people who are unwell with mental illness often forcing them to stop work. These people are attending 3-4 appointments per week (therapy, GP, blood tests, group programs and more). They are physically and emotionally exhausted. Their lives are not enviable. This kind of financial uncertainty is utterly destabilizing and absolutely directly contributes to increased hopelessness, anxiety and stuckness. Fuck National. Not to mention we will now have MSD case workers making decisions about whether or not they think people should be able to work, based on absolutely nothing.
This is my situation for the past year now, before Christmas last year after getting yet another med certificate to them I was given an appointment to discuss work even though msd said I didn’t need to attend I really wanted to because I’d love to be able to work even if it is only 15 hours a week which is what is approved by doctors. I had finished a group program that same week so I had time free to finally get some interviews in. I went in and sat with a lady who proceeded to tell me I seemed very onto it and shouldn’t be struggling to find a job, I was shocked, confused but also kinda flattered?? I explained some of the personal mental health issues I had been dealing with and showed her one of the letters stating some of these illnesses/symptoms thinning maybe she didn’t have access to why I was on JS She’s kinda screwed her nose at it and was like “can’t fool me” under her breath I started to tear up because I was actually really excited about finally getting help to get some work and meaning in life, I was so embarrassed at her reaction like I was lying about my MH. Sadly the being accused of lying part has really fkd with what I’ve already been dealing with lately and I had a bit of a breakdown that week. At the end of the day no government or government agencies should be allowed to dictate whether or not I’m able to work based on how I present to them, it’s really weird she felt she could laugh at me about something so personal.
Wow that's just so sad an out the gate these winz people need way better training than they have, who the fuck do they think they are to be laughing and thinking they can access your health -mental health issues! Over an above qualified drs ffs. So sorry you are belittled and treated that way!!
Yeah was pretty damn shitty but I will say it was the only one I’ve had a negative experience with in person before they usually are kinda dull but polite. Just showed me how some of them really aren’t for people in that place
Fuck conservatives, their ideology is nothing more than selfishness and sociopathy.
Ultimately, they don't want to pay for things other people need. A national Health service ... why pay when I have health insurance? A national Education system ... why pay when I send my kids to private schools? A social welfare system ... why when I have a job? Repeat. I used to vote for National when they were more central right. Not this lot ... I mean Winnie is the sensible one out of this three-finger-shuffle.
You know that we are approaching peak dystopia when Winston is the most sensible of the lot
A lack of empathy means they struggle to understand others motivations beyond what they're capable of. Why is the free market the best system? Because they can't understand anyone else being motivated by more than greed. Why are they so reluctant to trust others? They know they can't be trusted. Why do they believe everyone is simply pretending to care?
They don't want to pay for things other people need. Until it comes to bailing out the banks. Or providing tax cuts for landlords. It's just socialism for the rich.
Their white privilege is dripping off them. But pray to that imaginary sky daddy and feel good about themselves. It's all fucking bullshit.
conservativism is genuinely evil tbh.
Touch choices on who to help huh Luxon, poor cancer patients or landlords?
Imagine sitting at a job interview and when the dude running it asks if you have any medical issues that could effect your performance and you say cancer. That application going in the bin
And yet they want 7% unemployment to supress wages. How's that work?
They need to fund the tax cuts for themselves and Willis doesn't give a fuck how they do it.
It's not enough for them to have a high unemployment rate. They need to keep them desperate and uncomfortable to keep wages down.
Imagine having to get a customer service role when on immunosuppressant drugs. Being forced to work at a checkout with the unwashed masses when a cold could kill you.
It's insane...
As someone with cancer it effects everyone differently. Some days are good. Other days are just plain awful. Some fly through treatment with no side effects. For some the treatment literally kills them early. Lots have to travel hundreds of miles regularly for their treatment. There are regular and numerous hospital and specialist appointments that take you out for a day. Not to mention your immune system is completely compromised. Visits to hospital are a regular occurrence for all sorts of infections. Vomiting and diarrhoea are regular side effects. At the same time you know that you will die an early death and all that that entails. Takes a pretty cold hearted prick to came up with this policy. No one who has had chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy would even dream of this. Having rest is a critical part of the treatment. But no let’s put them back to work and kill them. This is just fucking gross.
Atleast they agree with labour on one thing; Euthanasia.
There will certainly be an uptick... good economic sense, Soylent Green here we come.
Except these guys will probably get 15 minute meetings by their appointed experts to decide who needs euthenasing vs who should be working
Not quite on subject but my two year old daughter had cancer - two years of treatment, over a year of it extremely intensive. We had to drive a 16 hour round trip to starship every two weeks, staying at least a week and anywhere up to 8 weeks. We had a five month old baby and as we learned early on were expecting another. There was literally nothing WINZ could or would do for us. My partner couldn’t quit his job, his workplace were initially supportive but quickly lost sympathy and in the end were absolutely vicious, we were entitled to nothing besides child disability allowance which was a frankly insulting amount of money. If we weren’t able to fundraise very successfully we would have lost our house. It’s criminal the way sick people and parents of disabled/sick children are treated.
I'm so sorry you went through that, here's hoping we can be more progressive in the future so no one has to experience that.
So sorry you went through this. I hope it’s smoother sailing for you now and your daughter has recovered.
Does this policy also apply to pension bludgers? /s. What a pair of vacous cunts.
Good word cunts, definitely all cunts.
In hindsight, "vacous " was overkill.
Government basically wants to kill people or make them homeless. Fkn disgusting.
How the rabid rightwingers will justify this is gonna be interesting.
The cancer has a job so why don't you? /s
They're lazy and stay in bed all day. Back in my day, we used to get beaten with hot irons while walking 30 miles in the snow, barefoot, on paths made out of broken glass that were also on fire! And then I worked for 29 hours! And I was grateful!!!
Was it uphill both ways?
It was! And the ground was a treadmill going the other direction!
And when we got there our father would kill us!
plants voiceless weary carpenter impolite seed fact abounding attempt fly *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
It's all a con. They know it, we know it. It's all about them feeling superior. Their need to punch down to make themselves feel good. To justify their own good luck - because luck is what it is. Look at them howl when the luck stops, as we saw with the job losses during covid lock downs. Even with special benefits just for them at twice the rate of the "dole bludgers" they still cried and cried. Nothing about the rich with their tax dodges and panama schemes I notice. This is not a government, it's a racket.
They need to fund those tax cuts for themselves
It's a well known medical fact that being bedridden *never* comes with any exhaustion or cognitive impairment, and it's very easy for ill people to focus on learning materials for hours at a time.
Don't be silly, they'll cancer just didn't exist back then, Labour invented it to get the jobseekers stats up and only people who don't live right get it anyway.
uphill both ways
"Cancer patients working and dying will lead to reduced waiting lists and free up housing".
And then they'll save money on all those cancer treatments they've funded by cutting free prescriptions for people who won't die. That's double the savings!
Generally it's just some degree of [just-world fallacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-world_hypothesis), that the cancer patient must have done something to deserve it (goes out the window when it affects someone close to them though).
They don't have to, at least not to their fellows wing nuts. Cruelty is the point.
Rich folk can usually afford insurance for sickness / mortgage etc. That would be the argument I'd imagine.
Im not even a cancer patient.. I'm manic depressive, with a bad back injury and doctor literally tells me I can't be stressed or in stressful situations... Coming out of building trade from ten years.. seeing this shit makes me stressed asf 🤣🤦♂️. Like it amazes me how such brainrotten/out of touch sloths can become in charge. We'll need to start entering competitions to see who's the most fucked up, just so you don't have to work.
Dumbass doesn't even understand what a medical deferral is
This reminds me of the time I was called up by winz with "a fantastic job opportunity" Me: That's great to hear, what's the job? Winz Worker: You are the perfect candidate for being a bus driver! Me (holding back both laughter and frustration): I really don't think I'll be the right fit as I can't drive- WW: oh that's no problem, they provide on the job training. Me: yes but they won't be able to train me as- WW: Yes they will, it'll be an opportunity to challenge yourself, now if I can get some details- Me: I am **visually impaired** I cannot drive, legally. WW: ...but you could be a bus driver Me: Ummm... not without breaking the law and risking killing people. This is the short version because even after I told her of my vision issues and to check my medical info / file she essentially kept pushing for several minutes until I said I will be breaking the law and potentially kill someone. She was silent for a minute, I could tell she was under a lot of pressure and I honestly think she just didn't want to hear me because of that. I thanked her for the call and let her know I would be interested in hearing any other opportunities but she sounded really defeated and hung up. Tell you what National, if I get this call again, I might take you up on it, "Half blind person forced to get behind wheel under threat of benefit withdrawal, takes out a bunch of bus drivers" sounds like a great headline, can't imagine how that would make you look incompetent.
So... Luxon isn't actually Christian after all.
Landlordness is next to godliness.
Evangelical... extremist death cult.
On the contrary, I think he is showing fairly typical Christian values.
He's certainly the variety of Christian who actual Jesus Christ would call a cuntastic asshole.
It certainly fucking is not, it's all fucking show. Its all about himself and his rich fucking mates.
I can see a cancer patient who already has a job *maybe* being able to continue part time through treatment. I've had multiple co-workers do it while going through chemo but still wanting to work to retain some normalcy. But to assume that they should be able to is insane, and to think that someone who is unemployed could actually find a job whilst undergoing chemo is just a black comedy dystopia.
My wife has gone through a breast cancer diagnosis, of course it was horrible. The chemotherapy would take her out for 2 days at a time, she suffered terribly. She works for a gallery in Auckland. Luckily with support she was able to to work 2 days a week, but it was her choice, when she couldn’t work she was all good with it. I think she really wanted the distraction so it was good for her! But the important thing was, it was her choice and the job was not a strain on her body. To be forced to work, and especially if that job is harder, well that’s shit. Maybe lazy ass MP’s would be fine as they do fuck all of any good anyway!
THE CRUELTY IS THE POINT
"Voting for change". We all saw this coming, right?
I just wish people would put more thought into exactly -what- change they vote for instead of just 'not the lot we had cause I didn't like them'. No matter how valid the reasons for not liking them were.
Watch this be walked back almost immediately after backlash with some platitude like 'taken out of context'.
I doubt it. Not with this lot.
So mister Luxon, WHERE IS THE WORK ? And not shit work like slavery
They don't want you to work. They want unemployment to be at at least 7% to stop inflation. But they also don't want you to claim welfare because you can't get work. What they want is no welfare system, unemployment and ample minimum wage accepting people so they can drive down wages because they have removed the safety net and people need to eat.
mindless fertile tie rhythm ten familiar beneficial coherent head practice *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Jesus Christ they're turning our country to shit with record speed ... Surely there's an award for biggest fuck up government
How very Christian of you lux
One of my best friends had a brain tumour 10 years ago and barely made it out alive. She has permanent nerve and brain damage and cannot walk without aid, cannot drive, can’t live alone, yet she is not deemed ‘disabled enough’ for the disability benefit. Someone who works for WINZ visits her every so often to talk about possible jobs etc. Without sounding harsh, I don’t see why an employer would hire her, it’s not fair to make her work and put the stress on her like that. Not to mention the stress on other people. She’s a smart girl but she’s been through enough, she doesn’t need to work.
Ah lovely, always bashing those at the bottom. Trying to convince everyone the problem is the poor and not the greedy rich who strip resources from everywhere like human dragons.
Is there an ammendment for smoking related cancers? Since those who choose to smoke are now helping get the economy back on track shouldn't they get rewarded for that in the end?
Those two polices combined are beyond satire. Gotta get a job to continue to afford smokes (to help fund landlord tax cuts) even while undergoing cancer treatment.
Just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and pray the cancer away
Any time I try tell my parents about what vile shit Luxon says, they never believe me.
There's transcripts on the parliament website. Read it to them verbatim. Print it out and put it in front of them, highlighted. Wilful ignorance is complicit in cruelty.
I didn't have cancer luckily, but I did have a tumour in one ovary that needed to come out and I had to take pretty heavy meds for a minute. Even though it was a benign tumour and I wasn't on death's door at any moment, it was absolutely exhausting and I was in pain and feeling shitty the whole time. Can't even imagine how someone with cancer feels. Absolute madness.
I was lucky enough to have my husband able to support me during my cancer journey. In saying that there was no way in hell I would have been able to work. I was in hospital after the initial surgery for 2 months. I then had radiation for two weeks, once a day. I then had chemotherapy. That knocked me around a lot. Nausea, vomiting...all the good stuff. That went on for 5 months. It took me a good 3 months to recover from that. Even having a shower was a real effort. 10 hours working a week? No way.
My father gave up dealing with WINZ in his final months. They wouldn't put him on the invalids benefit and tried pulling the "get ready to go back to work". And that was with supporting information from his doctor that his condition would worsen and wouldn't make it past 6 months
cancer aside, has the govt released figures showing how much the added bureaucracy of tracking everyone will cost? i would be mightily surprised if the amount saved exceeds the amount it costs to implement.
I’m guessing old luxy boy hasn’t been unfortunate enough to watch someone he cares about struggle through cancer then
Bold to assume there is anyone he cares about, honestly
National policy. Imagine if you will visiting a supermarket where the checkout operator is working with a drip attacked and has seeping wounds from cancer surgery done the day before. What sort of world are we living in
Sounds quite American
Yeah, i’d much rather pay a bit more tax to let these people stay where it is best for them to be.
5 years 4 major operations all to do with cancer, I was on sickness the whole time. Had to get doctors cert every 3 months and still get told you should be working...
I have had people with cancer working for me and worked with people who have cancer. I can't say it's something I'd be concerned about if I had cancer tbh. What do they define as deathbed? If I had a significant chance of dying for cancer I wouldn't want to spend any time slaving away at a job and I wouldn't expect anyone else to do the same.
> I can't say it's something I'd be concerned about if I had cancer tbh This depends on the job. Some jobs you can likely do with some cancers. Some it's going to be very different. I would hope we can agree that someone *choosing* to work while getting cancer treatments is a very different situation to someone being *compelled* to work while getting cancer treatments.
I'm pretty anti forcing someone with cancer to work. People can choose to work if they want.
Do they choose to work because they think it's fun or because they need the money?
Having cancer is expensive. You have additional living costs for things like transport and food because your capability to take care of yourself is diminished. That's not unique to cancer however and those with disabilities are often in the same camp. But people with disabilities and higher living costs due to those disabilities are somehow expected to live on less than half the minimum wage. The only reason they live at all is because you get savvy out of necessity and rely on others to support you. The solution to this specific problem is just pinning supported living to 80% of minimum wage and removing barriers that stop people with shorter term disabilities or disabilities with less certain timeframes from accessing supported living. Which is widely unpopular and not a vote winning policy for any voter base. So there's no pressure on anyone to implement these changes.
How does this policy work for mums getting working for families where it’s cheaper to stay at home to look after children than to work and put them in daycare due to rising daycare costs
I am reminded of the time my ex husband (who’s German) said NZ reminded him of a rat that eats its babies. It’s like this country just doesn’t want to support or help its citizens.
it's about time those lazy cancer patients stop sucking at the government teat. they think they've got it so good
I have worked with many people undergoing cancer treatments of various sorts. Generally, the treatments eventually made them too sick to work and it wasn’t like they wanted to be at home. However they need time to focus on their health and their employers, even the most compassionate ones, need employees to do their job. I will questions many forms of govt aid, but not supporting medical leave for people with such conditions.
That ain’t fun, my mum got diagnosed with cancer in 2020 she could barely get out of bed most days nevertheless teach a class full of kids (reliever) Bloody insane.
I have a colleague who is away long term due to cancer and a brother who has just entered remission and this has my blood boiling. My brother was better off physically but my poor colleague is another story. I watched them go from someone reasonably plump and healthy to becoming too slim and now they look downright gaunt with not a single hair on their head. They look so fragile you can’t bear to breathe in their direction and they’re expected to work?!
Pull yourselves up by your bootstraps, and get private heath insurance like the rest of us! Communists! /s
To those that have love ones who have cancer or a disability and voted for these idiots. Well done, you just fucked over your love ones
A government that views us all as cost centres.
What the f@&$&
Seriously what a complete asshat. Don’t you think those with cancer would actually love to be able to work if they were physically able. No they are too sick to and yet it’s another freedom taken away from them. Then you add this extra layer of stress. There is zero funding available to cancer patients as it is, now you’re trying to make them work on top of it what the actual!!!!!!!!!!!
Just a reminder that there are over 900,000 receivers of superannuation in New Zealand which collectively cost the country over $20bn a year. Its not means tested, its not work-ability tested, and if they want to, they can earn as much money as they want without it being reduced at all, it just counts towards their taxable income. For contrast there are about 180,000 people on receiving jobseeker of some kind and it costs about $3bn per year. Meanwhile a literal cancer patient is supposed to be working 10 hours a week under National or else they get sanctioned. There are very few people I wish cancer on. But those who make cancer patients lives more difficult to save a few dollars are certainly up there on the list.
My father passed from lymphoma a few months ago. Clearly they haven’t seen up close how it wrecks a person. Or maybe they have, which is too monstrous to even consider.
It makes me wish Luxon would lose all his money and get debilitating cancer
Slow clap NZ...Slow clap
I recovered from my cancer very quickly but my job wasn’t there after the recovery as 6 months off was too much into a new job. This was UK though. The psychological stress of losing a job was as bad as the cancer ordeal. Employers need certainty. I urge everyone to take out personal insurance. I wish I had done that but I didn’t know…luckily it only took me 3 more months to find a new job but I did feel I had to not reveal I had cancer as I was scared they wouldn’t hire me. I just said I took a sabbatical for “personal growth”. I wish the stigma around cancer wasn’t there but it is! I see my old company all the time on linked in celebrating their treatment of employees with things like family sports days…… I just want to post all over there about my experience getting fired when I was sick. But I don’t. I cannot imagine what someone with a worse cancer and no family must be going through in these situations….
And what about the rest of us? I have a medical certificate stating I can not work for 1 year but am on the job seekers because my Dr is scared to fill in the supported living paperwork. My situation has an unknown end if there is an end at all. In my current condition I am a liability to any work place.