Latest fromMinistry of Social Development
Pike River: ACC working to ease money fears
The ACC will ensure money is the least of the worries for the families of the Pike River 29, says ACC Minister Nick Smith.
Power boss' $1.3m top Govt pay
Mighty River Power chief executive Doug Heffernan is NZ's highest-paid government employee with a $1.32m package.
Plan to chase leavers as school ends
A new national service looks ready to start next year to make sure every 16 or 17-year-old ends up in work or training after leaving school.
Minister's BSA complaint against TV3 to go ahead
A complaint by Paula Bennett over a news item which claimed she offered money to a solo mum is to go ahead.
Canterbury quake: Residents kicked out of damaged flats
Twenty-three people have reportedly been evicted from quake-damaged council flats without warning.
Be flexible with earthquake victims, English tells IRD, banks
Finance Minister Bill English has asked banks and the Inland Revenue Department to be flexible with Christchurch earthquake victims.
<i>Brian Fallow</i>: Income splitting hardest on poor
Peter Dunne's bill is unfair, unaffordable and unlikely to happen, writes Brian Fallow.
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Huge numbers only part of benefit story
John Armstrong writes that the working group's prescription for change may be blinkered by ideology such as time limits.
Many mums on benefit since teens
Controversial new data suggests that more than half of all sole parents on the domestic purposes benefit first became beneficiaries as teens.
Couples split to get extra on benefit
A growing number of unemployed couples are living apart so one can claim the domestic purposes benefit to get more money, say beneficiary advocates.