Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:649;Page:17756] 
4.  
SUE BRADFORD (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: What is the Government’s current policy on how Work and Income staff should treat beneficiaries? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 The Work and Income service charter tells clients what they can expect from Work and Income. It includes prompt and efficient service; all relevant information to be presented in a user-friendly way; to be given a fair non-judgmental service; and to be treated with courtesy and respect. 
Sue Bradford 
: What steps then is the Ministry of Social Development taking to prevent a repeat of the recent incident in Rotorua where Tara Marks was told to “fuck off” by a smirking case manager as she with a baby in her arms applied for a food grant? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: That allegation and all allegations and complaints are taken extremely seriously. I have confidence in the integrity of the chief executive to make sure that those allegations are investigated appropriately. 
Hon Peter Dunne 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I do not want to interrupt the flow of the question but the quotation that the member referred to in the first supplementary question introduces a new standard I would have thought for what is acceptable in parliamentary debate. I ask you to reflect upon whether the use of the words the member described is acceptable in a parliamentary sense even if a quotation is being referred to. Otherwise essentially now anything goes. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I will look at the matter. 
Judith Collins 
: Will the Minister be calling for an independent inquiry—I note she has just said she will have something investigated—because we have an allegation of appalling bullying in Rotorua; if so when will it be reported back? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No. 
Russell Fairbrother 
: Does the Minister have any indication as to the overall quality of the performance of Work and Income staff? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Of the 1.5 million face-to-face interviews conducted by Work and Income staff over the last year there were 147 complaints relating to individual staff behaviour and service. That is less than one-hundredth of 1 percent of the total number of interviews. In addition I have received numerous letters praising the service of Work and Income staff including a very appreciative and appreciated letter from Dr the Hon Nick Smith. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: Does the Minister believe that it is appropriate for the staff of the Work and Income office in Kawakawa to treat two kaumatua who are on a sickness benefit in such a way as to cause them great stress including regularly making them wait for from half an hour to 1 hour for appointments letting security guards manage reception and photocopy their confidential records and having them witness verbal abuse; if not what will she do to respond to those concerns? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: If those are the facts then I certainly do not support them; they would not comply with the service charter. There are appropriate procedures within Work and Income for dealing with complaints and allegations. 
Sue Bradford 
: Is the Minister aware of a recent incident in Gisborne where a woman on the unemployment benefit felt so bullied by three case officers picking on her at once that she now feels too frightened to enter the local Work and Income office even though she knows she has to report there if her benefit is to continue? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I am aware of that allegation. 
Sue Bradford 
: Does the Minister realise that the cases that have been raised in the House today by my colleague from the Maori Party and me are not isolated; and will she consider the option of using skilled beneficiary advocates to help in the training of Work and Income staff as one way of ensuring that there are positive changes in the way that beneficiaries are treated by departments throughout the country? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I have outlined to the House that there were only 147 complaints involving staff behaviour. I think that is a very small percentage out of 1.5 million face-to-face interviews. But I take up the point the member makes and I will ensure that the relationship between the Ministry of Social Development and the beneficiary advocacy group means that the group’s skills are used to continue to improve the service.