Rhonda Swenson is an artist who has had solo exhibitions and her work has featured in Vincents Art Workshop group shows in Wellington.

Rhonda is a member of the Methodist Alliance’s working group that is campaigning to increase benefit and abatement rates. This group benefits from Rhonda’s lived experience of living life on a shoestring.

Rhonda lives on the Supported Living Benefit, and has done for 21 years. She is eligible for this benefit because of her specific health issues, which means she cannot work at the speed others do, or do things in the work force that meet most employers’ expectations of what they believe is “normal” when measured against her peers.

Living on a benefit means Rhonda lives a life of constant juggling to make ends meet. She pays her rent weekly and pays a little each week for telephone, power and other bills. Rhonda spends between $48.00 and $62.00 on groceries a week which is about 12 - 14 items. She does not use food banks because she has issues with gluten and lactose and needs to buy diary-free and gluten-free products.

Rhonda searches op shops and secondhanded clothing stores because she cannot afford to buy new clothes. However, she does buy new underwear, rain coats and leggings.

Rhonda attends free events, including concerts, art workshops, lectures and free events at the Readers and Writers Festival. She has also taken advantage of the free computer courses the Wellington City Council offers to its tenants.

Rhonda travels by bus and qualifies for discounted fares. She works part time - six hours a week. Rhonda’s employer would like to pay her the living wage, however if they do that, it means Rhonda would actually earn less money because of the abatement rates. If the abatement rate was higher, Rhonda’s employer would be able to pay her the living wage, and the small income she earns would be slightly higher and enable her to live with a bit more dignity.

Rhonda says, “I am very conscious of all the money I spend as I have to live within my very tight budget.” This is made much more difficult with the rises in food and rent which are increasing at a much faster rate that incomes.

The Fairer Future collaboration’s recent research on liveable incomes updated the work undertaken by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG). The new research showed that the 1 April increases to benefits will still leave people trapped in poverty. A couple with three children have a shortfall of $165 per week to pay for everyday necessities like rent, food and power. If other costs like sport, fitness, cultural events, presents, holiday, a contingency for unplanned one off costs etc. are taken into account, this whānau needs an additional $307 per week – or $16,000 a year to meet their total costs.

Struggling to live on a limited income is difficult, and added to this is the dehumanising experience people have when dealing with Work and Income. The WEAG consultation stated people found Work and Income “judgmental, punitive and severely under-resourced.”[1] They found dignity and respect were missing and people wanted more compassion and empathy.[2] With not enough income to live on, and inconsistent and punitive support, “the most vulnerable are becoming further marginalised and disenfranchised.”[3]

The recent MSD Foundation for Change document sets out proposed changes to our welfare system. The draft “wellbeing purposes and principles” are underwhelming, not aspirational and have inconsistencies. There is nothing that provides for an adequate income, and while it “promotes administration of the Act that is client-centred and treats people with dignity and respect”[4] there is nothing that ensures income levels will enable people to live with dignity.

The proposed changes talk about “reducing poverty and hardship” rather than alleviating or eliminating poverty. While benefits reduce poverty, the income levels are still inadequate which means people are still living in poverty.

Rhonda says, “The principles do not go far enough. The system is dehumanising and still focussed on getting people into full employment. Now is the time to get this right and make sure people have an adequate income to live a safe and fulfilling life.”

In your daily and church life you could consider the following:

· What are the economic and social policies that protect privilege and entrench disadvantage that we need to challenge? How do we do this?

· What do we need to do to eliminate disparity for Māori, Pacific, disability, LGBTI+, refugee and migrant communities and, particularly, to honour Te Tiriti commitments?

If you would like more information about how you can support the Methodist Alliance, working group to increase benefit and abatement rates, please contact Carol Barron, 03 375 0512 | 027 561 9164 | Carol@MethodistAlliance.org.nz

[1] WEAG, Whakamana Tāngata – Restoring Dignity to Social Security in New Zealand, 2019, p57

[2] Ibid

[3] Ibid

[4] MSD The Foundation for Change, 2022, p19