000			02993nam a2200301Ia 4500
001			112829
005			20250625151241.0
008			110331s2001 eng
040			_aWSS _dAFV
100			_aJoychild, Frances _91451
245			_aReport to the Minister for Social Services : _breview of Department of Work and Income implementation of the Court of Appeal decision : Ruka v Department of Social Welfare [1997] 1 NZLR 154 _cJoychild, Frances
260			_aWellington _bMinistry of Social Development _c2001
300			_a72 p. ; computer file : PDF format (404Kb)
365			_a00 _b0
520			_aThis report is the investigative review of the implementation of the Court of Appeal Decision of Ruka v Department of Social Welfare [1997] 1 NZLR 154. The author examines the investigation and establishment of overpayments made to individuals who were living in a marriage-type-relationship at the time of receiving benefits between November 1996 and December 2000. The author explores the usage of incorrect legal testing, Violence to Women investigations, and decision-making checks and balance weaknesses within the Department of Social Welfare (DSW). The report's principal recommendation is that all DSW decisions taken to establish overpayments against beneficiaries on the grounds that they were living in a marriage-type-relationship, between November 1996 and December 2000, be reviewed to ensure the evidence satisfied the Ruka legal test, with the exceptions of cases that went to the Social Security Appeal Authority or where the beneficiary was prosecuted for benefit fraud. The report recommends the need to refocus towards a dual emphasis in benefit crime initiatives between detection and prevention of benefit crime, and to ensure that all New Zealanders in receipt of social security are treated with dignity, respect and equality with other citizens. It recommends domestic violence education for DSW staff, as well as public education relating to benefit fraud prevention. It outlines the need for the development of DSW relationships with the community. Additional policy and legislative changes are recommended in terms of: the disestablishment of monetary target incentives for DSW investigators; the urgent clarification in legislation, reassessment and rectification of cases where non allowance of 'notional entitlement' has increased unintentional fraud debt unnecessarily; and development of a debt burden policy to beneficiaries.
522			_anz
650	2	7	_2FVC _aDOMESTIC VIOLENCE _9203
650	2	7	_aINTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS _9325
650	2	7	_2FVC _aJUSTICE _9333
650	2	7	_2FVC _aPOLICY _9447
650	2	4	_aSOCIAL SERVICES _9555
650	2	7	_aSOCIAL WELFARE _9559
650	2	7	_2FVC _aSOCIAL WORK PRACTICE _9562
650	2	7	_9431 _aINTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE _2FVC
650	2	7	_9336 _aLAW
856	4		_uhttp://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/archive/2002-rukareport.pdf
942			_2ddc _cREPORT
999			_c3129 _d3129