The way it was.

The way it was.

  I found this quote on a Government website interesting. It said “The original vision of social security was to grant not only freedom from poverty, but also dignity and a sense of citizenship” (Maharey, 2000). I wonder if most beneficiaries would agree with this statement today?

In 1938 the Social Security Act was passed. This was described as the “cornerstone of today’s Social Security system. (Maharey, 2000).  An independent review by the 1969/1972 Royal Commission on Social Security brought about changes such as an increase of double the amount families were receiving on the Family Benefit.  This increase echoed the “boom” of economic growth the country was experiencing after the war, and which had an impact on the amount beneficiaries would receive. This however was short lived as the economy plummeted, unemployment rose, and the country experienced, what would be a “prolonged period of recession” (Barnes, Harris, 2011).



Reference

Barnes, J., Harris, P (2011). Still kicking? The royal commission on social policy 20 years on. Retrieved from. http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/journals-and-magazines/social-policy-journal/spj37/37-still-kicking-the-royal-commission-on-social-policy-20-years-on.html

Maharey, S. (2000). Social Welfare in New Zealand. Beehive.govt.nz. The official website of the New Zealand Government. Retrieved from http://www.beehive.govt.nz/node/8642