The social welfare system should be removed (as far as possible)
from day-to-day political decision making. This is vital. Until
this happens, the well-organised special interest groups will
continue to do great harm to the rest of us.
Transfer power from large institutions (Accident Compensation
Corporation) and impersonal bureaucracies (Health, Education and
Social Welfare Departments) to individuals. Such institutions will
never care about us or know as much about us as we do – we need to
remove their decision-making power from them as it affects
individuals.
Restore the buyer/seller relationship to consumers and providers3
So that each of us as consumers becomes the principal buyer of
welfare services, rather than third parties, be they welfare,
superannuation, health or education, as we do with other goods and
services
Subject social welfare to the benefits of competition. Create
market-based organisations where each of us benefits from good
decisions or bears the cost of bad ones (note: none could be as bad
as that which government inflicts on us all at the moment)
Create a marketplace where individuals (as much as possible) spend
their own money, rather than someone else's. Major tax reductions
and, for some, tax credits will enable all New Zealanders to buy
what they need in the market. When people spend their own money
rather than someone else's, they demand better service and higher
standards
All New Zealanders will have the choice of buying the welfare
products they need in a competitive open marketplace (health cover,
sickness, accident and health insurance) as a result of: higher
personal income via Tax reductions (flowing from the ability to
earn a tax fee income and/or tax credits) plus an employer
contribution
Insurance companies will be obliged to provide information relating
to prices and costs, people can elect to rely on self-insurance for
small items of expenditure.
Consumers spending their own money will lead to lower levels of
demand than under the current welfare system with self-insurance
evident for non-catastrophic events.
Pressure to reduce costs will be evident throughout the system so
higher incomes for suppliers will depend on them being more
efficient than other providers. Under the current system, providers
often increase their own incomes only when costs go up.
Choice for the vast majority of the population will be readily
available, unlike the current welfare system, when most people,
having paid 40% or more of their income in taxes can't afford
alternative private options for healthcare or sickness or to save
for their retirement. This is now possible for all New Zealanders.
Prices will be readily available and producers will advertise price
discounts and quality differences. This is not so with the current
government welfare system.
• The social welfare system should be removed (as far as possible)
from day-to-day political decision making. This is vital. Until
this happens, the well-organised special interest groups will
continue to do great harm to the rest of us. • Transfer power from
large institutions (Accident Compensation Corporation) and
impersonal bureaucracies (Health, Education and Social Welfare
Departments) to individuals. Such institutions will never care
about us or know as much about us as we do – we need to remove
their decision-making power from them as it affects individuals. •
Restore the buyer/seller relationship to consumers and providers3
So that each of us as consumers becomes the principal buyer of
welfare services, rather than third parties, be they welfare,
superannuation, health or education, as we do with other goods and
services • Subject social welfare to the benefits of competition.
Create market-based organisations where each of us benefits from
good decisions or bears the cost of bad ones (note: none could be
as bad as that which government inflicts on us all at the moment) •
Create a marketplace where individuals (as much as possible) spend
their own money, rather than someone else's. Major tax reductions
and, for some, tax credits will enable all New Zealanders to buy
what they need in the market. When people spend their own money
rather than someone else's, they demand better service and higher
standards
All New Zealanders are in a position to take out risk insurance for
accident, sickness and healthcare, not just the wealthy, and to
receive better service as a result.
