Desperate Frustration

28th July 2005
Andrew Moller
2 Lachlan Drive
Dinsdale
Hamilton

Work and Income
Stephen Faifai, Service Manager
Dinsdale Service Centre
Hamilton

REF: letter dated 21st July 05

Dear Stephen

As previously noted, I believed on 4th or 5th of May I had all the necessary details to meet what was requested on the forms given to me at the pre-seminar, all filled in and signed.

It has taken me a couple of days to figure out how I could make a civil reply to your last letter. I no longer have any sympathy for the case officer who was attacked by that knife wielding woman, this must have been her desperate response to cut out evil.

In your reply you have given me a different case officer but requested the same duplicate information – this amounts to, simple apologetic rhetoric way beyond patronage. From your reply it is obvious this is not just a personality clash with Aimee Le Lieve but a deeper problem with your department’s interpretation of its policy and purpose.


1. On my first appointment, WINZ had no record on their computer I had attended the pre-seminar. They later said it didn’t really matter anyway.


2. WINZ wouldn't accept a recently expired passport or my drivers license as ID, both with photo ID on them, I was told to go to the District Court and get an affidavit to declare that I was who I claimed to be. After living in the Waikato for 30+ years with the last 5 being a tutor at the local tertiary institution. Not only had I produced identification, I already had a case number identity from a previous experience with WINZ in 1995, I was told it didn’t really matter anyway.

When I returned with the court affidavit I was told it didn’t really matter anyway.

I was told I would have to get a birth certificate or passport, this cost me $75.00 – only $5.00 short of half what my entitlement for a whole weeks budget is supposed to be.


3. WINZ wouldn't accept my final pay notice from Wintec as detailed enough. It didn't show how the severance was split, whether any was holiday pay. I was told to go back to Wintec and get the payroll officer to fill in one of the department forms. I believed this was unnecessary since they were going to stand me down for the maximum time anyway…you guessed it I was told it didn’t really matter anyway.


4. WINZ wouldn't accept my details about a rental property and told me to go to my accountant and get a Net Equity statement of the property. My accountant has all my legal and other relevant documents, so to contact and interrupt his normal process of filling my tax return would be incurring additional professional expenses for me, when I am unemployed…you guessed it I was told it didn’t really matter anyway.


25th May:
I finished this interview requesting WINZ makes an appointment for me with the supervisor regarding the additional details requested about the rental property. It didn't seem right that the department was asking me to incur additional professional fees from my accountant when all the details needed had been supplied, Bank Statements showing the loan balance and Property Manager Statements showing the rental received and a Net Equity Statement from my accountant.


12th July:
During this appointment WINZ bought Janet Oldfield into the picture, I assumed this was an accountant or someone who could understand the bank statements.

After a lengthy search and conversation with someone on the phone Janet found a web page related to rental properties, but this did not read to me as meaning “in every situation this is what must be produced” e.g. it had repairs expenses listed. To me it read as a guideline - certain expenses could be used to validate that there is no personal income.

The bank statements showing a principal of $165,000 has already proven under any loan there is going to be more interest alone than rent received. That nobody could produce a budget that would enable somebody receiving a $160 per week benefit too use that to pay principal.


21st July
I receive your letter still requesting this principal interest breakdown from the bank.

Both Aimee and Janet have asked me how the benefit is going to pay this loan. I have told both of them the current loan is about to run out, before the benefit entitlement would begin, and I’ll need to negotiate another term. That this will have to be an interest only loan and as a last resort I’d be asking my son to make up the difference each month until I get another job, or I’ll have to sell the property (most likely).

I have told both Janet and Aimee if they are that concerned the department is somehow going to be paying principal I would be happy to write a declaration that this isn’t possible and not going to, could never, happen, no matter what term the loan will be.

But we all know this doesn’t really matter anyway, that the department’s real goal is to humiliate and make customers jump through needless hoops. This is the department’s policy or there is some evil within the Hamilton office/electorate.

Let me put it another way, I’ll give you a budget where I’ve spent your $160 and it doesn’t include principal on a rental property loan. If you really need them, while I’m receiving this great benefit, I can keep the relevant receipts where $160 was spent each week. If you can produce an alternative budget I’m desperate to hear it.

Food: $70
Rent/Rates: $80
Electricity: $15 (already over budget)
Telephone: $15
Clothing: ?
Car: Loan ?
Petrol ?
WOF and rego ?
Repairs ?
Medical: ?
Dental: ?
Insurance: ?
HP: ?
Credit Cards: ?
Student loans: ?
Child support: ?
Income tax: ?
Property maintenance: ?
Rubbish disposal: ?
Sports: ?
Xmas Gifts: ?
Professional fees: ?
Miscellaneous expenses: ?
Savings: ?


Faithfully



Andrew Moller, BIT, CCNA

CC
Neville Williams, Maria Tipene (couldn’t be related to Tom), Internet


PS
I am not surprised at the scepticism of yourself and the case officers when you try to figure it out. How can a man in New Zealand exist on $160 per week unemployment benefit without lying and doing something criminal to supplement it. If you really think about it they are not the criminals. You are producing criminal behaviour. I’m challenging anyone to produce a budget for that amount, I haven’t come up with one - yet come Monday it could be my reality.

Unless you persist and decline my application again and insist I somehow prove you can live on nothing in this Labour lead Godzone.

http://labourinnz.blogspot.com/


Do you remove evil by cutting off its head or breaking its back?

What was their career decision based on…I want a job where I can be a…hole.