Support workers are navigating housing in the private sector and in the meantime people are protesting against social housing going up in their areas. Yet, if these social houses went to these clients of theirs, then there would unlikely be any issues, a win win. They are quite severe, otherwise they wouldn't have support workers allocated to them in the first place. But the government doesn't consider them severe enough so get away with it. I have seen some of the toxic places some of these disabled adults are living in after their parents have passed away and it is so sad and cruel. The social houses could be allocated to the support workers to use for their clients. They often match up their clients who are able to share a house. Others require living on their own because of their ways. They also support these clients to live okay, so if they have a platform, a home, that will make everyone's lives so much easier. Plus, they try to help them budget and when it's the private rental market with these people, their incomes are so low, most are on full benefits, and those who work are on low incomes. Plus there is secondary tax if their hours are less than full time, and most can't work full time.

Also, they're either on the Supported Living Payments whereby they can work only 15 hours a week, or they're treated by Winz as if suddenly their disability has evaporated as they're trying to work longer than 15 hours. I've written to Carmel Sepuloni to fix it, but even though she's been in that position for a long long time, it's clearly not going to change... unless others push for it too. These people have complex disabilities making working much more challenging for them. Many, want to work, and should not be worried about if loosing the back up of their special needs benefit if it doesn't work out, or pay secondary tax and therefore be worse off.. Socially, not being able to process things easily, being too slow. There are a variety of difficulties, that we all face with full time work. Add an intellectual processing problem such as Autism, and this can be more challenging. One young man say's Yes, all the time to everything. They are in some cases varied in their disabilities but they should not be restricted to 15 hours a week, or loose their back up benefit that is Supported Living Benefit or some kind of benefit for those with complex disabilities. The current system is cruel. It is either work 15 hours or less, or work 30-40 hours per week. Some are only capable of 20 - 25 hours per week, then are hit with secondary tax, that we understood Labour campaigned on, yet secondary tax is still there. These people should not have any restriction, they already have enough to cope with as it is, without the system making them be trapped in poverty unable to try longer than 15 hours per week. Others, Doctors can't say 15 hours a week is maximum their patients can work, disabilities aren't like that.. what is the Government thinking (apart from perhaps, it's only a few so we won't get into difficulties, like when they closed the Learning Support Centres at schools)? As their clients vary and could be capable of more if they get the right position, but none of it is easy.

The other is, that tax free status needs to go to those born with a disablity prior the age of 18 years old instead of charities. This will free up the tax haven, and actually be allocated to those who were born with complex disabilities, or acquired them prior becoming an adult. Many charities have millions invested, some of it goes out of New Zealand. Our country needs to look after our most vulnerable before it starts throwing money to people who use it to give to overseas people, often who aren't even disabled. Many get charity money pay themselves very high salaries with it, for example the Oxfam CEO is on a huge income. "       Oxfam paid its high earner, the since departed chief executive Mark Goldring, £146,247 in the year to the end of March 2018." Yet these adults with complex needs pay tax on what is very likely to be the lowest incomes in the country life-long. Isn't it fair that they get tax free status instead? and on top of that, they are expected to rent private homes, on these tiny incomes too. It's not working, it's really cruel. People don't do anything because it doesn't affect most people. Yet, it is our country and it is wrong in my view. If you agree, please write in and support this petition to our government to fix it, to change it so that the social houses, benefits and tax free status is to those who are genuine, that have acquired a Disability prior the age of 18 years old, as we have to start somewhere. If we make it over that age, we then include all of us, as when we age, we will become disabled eventually if we don't die first, but at least we've had our lives, and the chance to prosper.  

• Therefore this petition is for NZ Citizens who have a disability either born or have one prior the age of 18 years old, are provided social housing, via their Support workers outfit for example Spectrum Care, or Renaissance. Our social houses need to be allocated to Spectrum Care and Renaissance and others who have clients that are NZ Citizen's born with complex disabilities.

Another idea is to have apartment complexes to have some allocated at the ground floors or first floors for some of their clients, and the government buys or rents it for the social housing clients who are with Spectrum Care or Renaissance, or similar outfits.

• Secondly, New Zealanders who have a disability prior the age of 18 years old get a permanent special back up benefit if they want to work they can, there are no restriction to the number of hours. If it doesn't work, they are able to go back onto that benefit. (currently it restricts them to 15 hours per week, trapping them in poverty and it's discriminatory, they're able to work a variety as they're different). these clients are on Support Living Payments. .. but this restricts them to be able to work no more than 15 hours per week. These people need to have the flexibility to try working as many hours as they like, as per the rest of the population. If it doesn't work out, and it can be problematic as they're often slow, or unable to process issues at the work place... they ought to be able to go straight back on the Supported Living Payments, or perhaps they need a new benefit for them as a back up. The problem is, they often want to work but it then becomes incredibly hard to get them back onto the Supported Living Payments. These people with issues such as Autism are having to work much harder, some are suited to 20 or 25 hours per week. Then secondary tax gets put in and this can destroy their incomes, and then they have to combine it with accommodation supplement on private housing, it's virtually if not impossible. 
• Thirdly, they have tax free status instead of charities, this is something I think is good because they are most likely on low incomes, the idea they'll ever earn or come off the benefit, is a nice idea. They're usually slow, unable to get the social cues, are vulnerable to bullying and they usually have some kind of processing issues. They are likely to be hit with secondary tax as their hours are less likely to be full time. Therefore that puts them in an even higher tax rate, which is unfair, ridiculous and cruel. My understanding was Labour campaigned originally on getting rid of secondary tax, now they've said they're changing it instead. But it is only before 14 or 15,000 per year or something ridiculous, less than the average rent, so it was not fair at all, it hasn't really changed and still affects people like these with disabilities or low income workers who try to improve their lot. Presently, the charities receive tax free status, who have in some cases millions invested, they pay their workers in some cases very well, and sometimes they are for people who aren't in New Zealand when our own vulnerable at this point in time are living in some terrible conditions as well as often very poor. Besides, us parents find we get no help from these charities when we try, I was told no volunteer was available, how about those who they collect money for, get the tax free status as they are genuine and need their money, especially as it is a low income.