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Jennifer Johnston - Source: ONE News -
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The Invercargill solo mother whose benefit details were released by Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says privacy is not the real issue.
While one of the mothers at the centre of the storm is planning a Privacy Commission complaint, the other, mother-of-three Jennifer Johnston, says anyone can see the information on the WINZ website.
Bennett is under fire for revealing the income details of the two solo mothers after they publicly criticised the government for cutting beneficiary training allowances.
Johnston says anyone can look up the benefit payments a woman like herself is receiving, and says she is simply fighting for the chance to keep up her training and get off a benefit.
"The information that (Bennett) gave is not anything that people could not have readily accessed," she says.
"I think the main point should be, and has always been for me, access to training for people in my situation."
Johnston on Wednesday had a long chat with Bennett and invited her for coffee the next time she was in the deep south.
After speaking with the Minister, she hopes both sides can find common ground.
"It was a good conversation. There's been no outcome but at least she heard my point of view and I had the opportunity to hear hers."
Johnston says her real issue has always been about access to education and she is not asking for anything for free.
She wants the opportunity to study so she can get free of the benefit, pay back her debt to society and get on with her life.
With the government planning to scrap the training incentive allowance, beneficiaries will lose around $3,000 a year towards any training.
"What's important to me and thousands in my situation is we can carry on with our study, that we can get our qualifications and become independent of the system," says Johnston.
She says she could apply for a student loan to complete her nursing degree, but it would not cover all costs.
Bennett's offer to talk to the other solo mother involved in the row, Natasha Fuller from Hamilton, has been rejected.
Fuller is laying a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner.
Both women have since been the subject of wrath on radio and on the internet and Bennett says that is unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Labour's Annette King is questioning whether or not rules preventing ministerial staff from accessing personal information were broken by the Minister or her staff.
Bennett says she is not sure exactly where the information came from, only that she asked for it from staff and she put it forward once she had it.
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Post new commentMerca said on 2009-08-19 @ 21:38 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think you are wrong, allot of women on the DPB want to get into work, and yes it's a shame that the TIA is cut to help them out.
Merca said on 2009-08-19 @ 21:36 NZDT: Report abusive post
You would find that most people would of been financially stable before they broke up. I have never meet a DPB receiver that decides to have kids when they are not financially stable. You should try to stop assuming things and accidents do happen too, after all we are all human are we not?
ManuJ said on 2009-08-17 @ 22:17 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think the majority of people believe that the DPB is a carrer choice and milk the system for all its worth without any thought of a career. Many actually lose their ambitions to create an independant future for themselves and have more babies while receiving the DPB. The govt should put a clause into the policy for those who want the Training Allowance. Agree to pay all the expenses and if the applicant agrees to this, they forefit their right to the DPB in the future.
santa0007 said on 2009-08-17 @ 17:00 NZDT: Report abusive post
Privacy is not possible in New Zealand,The current MP,s are not qualified to even view any info relating to any subject unless they are "qualified",we all vote for.......strangers based on how well they look/dance/rich/poor but not on there qualifications. There CV and position dictates authority and expectations of many things but postulation of harm to others by an MP is not correct behaviour.How many people have been turned away from a food parcel or access to water & housing.
tofel1 said on 2009-08-01 @ 11:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
It is unfair for people who is working to pay for other people's mistake. I am working hard and do extra hours to save money for my child's expense. If these solo mother can't pay for their living and the children's living costs, they should not have children at the first place. It is unfair the the children and tax payers. They are the parasites in the society.