OPINION: The Welfare Expert Advisory Group visited Nelson as part of 16 public forums it is hosting around the country. The group, which was established in May to "provide options to the government to ensure New Zealand has an accessible and fair welfare system," is gathering information to inform its recommendations, due in February 2019. Because I, and so many others, have been pointing out the flaws in the system for a long time. Together, we discussed and recorded answers to three questions: What is working well currently, what needs to change, and what values should underpin our welfare system? Nearly every table had recorded "he tangata, he tangata, he tangata," – what is the most important thing in the world?

Source: Stuff October 12, 2018 19:30 UTC