Good to hear Social Development Minister Paula Bennett saying she is unrepentant about releasing personal financial details of two solo mothers who have gone public about cutbacks to a training allowance.
Did anybody seriously expect her to say oops, sorry, after she provided the New Zealand Herald with details about the sums of dosh Natasha Fuller and Jennifer Johnston have received from the state.
The PM is standing by Bennett – good for him – and says she was bringing balance to the women’s grizzles about the impact of cutbacks on the training incentive allowance, announced in the May Budget.
That’s in line with what Bennett said – she released their personal details because they were presenting a skewed picture to the public.
No doubt that’s part of the story. But Alf suspects she also is demonstrating her powerful inclination to become bloody-minded and bitchy, when someone pisses her off. Henceforth he will be sure not to rile her.
Come to think of it, she joins Crusher Collins among our Ministers with a flair for ferocity. Paula the Brawler, perhaps.
But that’s what you would expect from a Westie, eh?
Alf Grumble 
Of interest: The following post was published on the Herald online “your views” section.
The strange thing about this is that it exceeds the character limit for posting in that section. The limit is 1200 characters, the post is 3,100 characters.
Who is D-V of Wellington that they can get their post inserted against system limits at the Herald? Looks like the propaganda machine is running overtime.