Comments on: By Mums on the DPB

By: Stress Single Mums are Under | Mothers Helpers

Stress Single Mums are Under | Mothers Helpers — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 02:04:08 +0000

[…] a previous blog post “Mums on the DPB” we have presented some mothers’ more specific […]

By: motheradmin

motheradmin — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 13:04:25 +0000

In reply to Tania Marsden. Thank you Tania! Totally agree!

By: motheradmin

motheradmin — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 13:03:34 +0000

In reply to Rosetta Wardlaw.

Rosetta I’m so sorry to hear of your situation. The current Government tries to make living on a benefit as difficult as possible to motivate people to get off it – but for some people with illness or disabilities, the reality is that they need a great deal of time to find those work opportunities – when we already have limited jobs available, how much harder is it for those with particular illnesses and disabilities to get jobs? You should not be punished for your health or for being a widow. This Government is failing you – they should be supporting you at a time in your life when things are already so hard and so stressful, and they should be looking at finding ways to create job opportunities rather than having a strategy of making it as difficult as possible for you to remain on a benefit.

By: motheradmin

motheradmin — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:59:06 +0000

In reply to Michelle.

Hi Michelle, it is hard and sometimes feels like you want to dig yourself out of the hole but don’t have the tools to do it.

If you click on the “Get Involved” tab on our website, you will see a dropdown menu, one labelled “Return to the Workforce” – we are offering parents wanting to return to the workforce a work experience with Mothers Helpers combined with study options to help you to find work. Have a read and see if it might work for you.

By: motheradmin

motheradmin — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:56:12 +0000

In reply to emilie. As a single mother who has been on the DPB I would respectfully disagree with some of the things you've stated here, however, I do acknowledge that there are many other types of families who are also struggling. Relying completely on the income of a small business that is not doing well is a great risk when there is no income from other sources.

By: motheradmin

motheradmin — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 12:50:38 +0000

In reply to Karen Holmes. This is a heartbreaking story Karen and I'm so sorry to hear this. It's such a hard road, and you have been so courageous in your fight to keep your children safe. I hope that things turn around for you...

By: TL Walker

TL Walker — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 01:45:50 +0000

Some of the worst things about DPB were that people whom I thought were my friends, whom I had babysat for and helped out in anyway possible (free of charge) no longer wanted to know me as I was a bludger. Most of them had ex’s on the DPB.
The absolute worst was working 20hrs a week in a job, which after petrol only earned me an extra $50 per week in my hand. I had to buy clothes and because it was on a back road it basically killed my cheap little car, then I got a huge tax bill, went into overdraft as they kept paying late and got a bad credit rating. I worked out that the job cost me $5000 in the end. There was another DPB mum too, They sat us separately from everyone at break times and always referred to us as”them”. They also constantly harped on about how great they were to have given us a “chance” and that they had helped several parolees which hadn’t worked out well for them and kept warning us we better not try and steal from them. One lady constantly warned us she would call the police if she caught us trying to get “high” from the fungus in the greenhouse. (Never did see this mystery fungus). I got told off for being provocative when I bent over and someone saw my bra. The boss told me I should join some clubs in order to meet a better kind of man. I was in my forties and the other DPB mum was in her fifties.Once after work I went to a social occasion at an aunts and one of her guests overheard me mention I was a single mother. He then abused me for being on the DPB and asked me if I was one of those awful people who drove around in an unregistered, unwarranted car and shopped at pak’n save. I said I couldn’t afford to register my car and had to go to work. The prick tricked me into telling him which way I went to work and the next morning a policeman was waiting on the remote road I worked on and gave me tickets for no rego or warrant. Thats the tip of the iceberg of how horribly women get treated on the DPB.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 08:00:04 +0000

I don’t even get the dpb. http://WWW.fiftyfifty.org.nz

By: Tania Marsden

Tania Marsden — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:43:59 +0000

I was a single parent for 19 years…it’s even tougher now than it used to be, although the Jenny Shipley ‘dob in your neighbour’ campaign caused a public perception that is comparable to how things are now. I want to say to all single parents: You’re already working! 24/7! You create a joyful home for your kids as much as you can, so you must have deep inner strength too. Most of us get it…don’t be fooled by the minority that don’t. You deserve to be treated with respect, you’re not a lower class citizen, and leaving your kids with someone else (who gets paid to look after them!) will not ‘raise your self-esteem’. Your self esteem is fine, keep standing up for your right to be cared for by your tribe! Kia kaha. 🙂

By: Rosetta Wardlaw

Rosetta Wardlaw — Wed, 20 Aug 2014 23:16:55 +0000

I am a single mother and widow on the supported living allowance with major health problem. Even though I receive accommodation support, temporary additional support, and disability allowance once my rent and medical expenses and power have been paid I am left with $150 a week to pay for food, petrol, school fees, I have used all my all my advances at winz, so need to try and put money a side each week for rego and warrant, but usually end up having to use that money. What has been my saving grace is that I have been selling off my stuff on trade me when needed, but I still have to be careful doing that has I could lose some of my temporary support. It is going to be a pretty grim christmas for me and my children this year, I would love to go back to work but as soon as people hear that I am on all my meds and am are high stroke risk they not interested, I feel like I am being punished for my health problems and the fact I am a widow, even though I have worked and supported my family in the past