'Hard hitting' leaflet tells truth, says Goff

Photo / Doug Sherring

Labour leader Phil Goff is standing by a mailed leaflet telling mothers on a benefit they "won't be around to celebrate" their child's first birthday if National wins the election.

The leaflet, which was sent nationwide, aims to highlight National's welfare reforms, in particular the proposal to work-test sole parents who have more children while on a benefit.

National's welfare reform is proposing a Sole Parent Support. Those receiving it would be expected to work part-time when their child turns 5, and full-time when their child turns 14.

If they had another child while still receiving the benefit, they would have a 12-month exemption from work expectations. After this lapses, they would be expected to return to part-time or full-time work, depending on the age of their youngest child excluding the newborn.

Mr Goff said the leaflet was deliberately hard-hitting.

On the front is the message "Under National you won't be around to celebrate her 1st birthday" next to an image of a baby with an anxious look on its face. Inside it says that under National's reforms, "beneficiaries who get pregnant will be forced to find work when their baby turns 1", followed by a list of Labour's family-friendly policies.

Mr Goff agreed the leaflet did not make clear all the conditions in National's policy that would require a sole parent to look for work.

"Of course it doesn't. Nor do any of the National Party advertisements or [from] any other political party. That's not the nature of advertising."

Mr Goff said the leaflet was not misleading.

"The National Party intention is to require people with 1-year-old children in particular circumstances to go out to work, without saying how they will get childcare, or where the jobs are, or where they'll get the skilled training to take up the position.

"Those are the more important questions.

"It's a hard-hitting leaflet. That's what it is. And it tells the truth - that's what the National Party will require."

Labour's campaign spokesman Grant Robertson said party staff looked up electoral rolls to find women who had listed "beneficiary", "mother" or something similar under their occupation.

Meanwhile, National's candidate in Rongotai, list MP and Cabinet minister Chris Finlayson, has been embarrassed by a letter to people which he signed off as "MP for Rongotai".

MPs' descriptors have to be approved by the Speaker and using a non-approved one is a breach of the rules.

Rongotai MP and Labour deputy leader Annette King yesterday laid a complaint with the Speaker's Office.

Mr Finlayson accepted full responsibility and said he was sending a note out correcting the error.