Under Scrutiny: Imagine if the same expectations of "responsibility" underpinning Paula Bennet's new "social obligations" policy were applied to members of the upper-middle-class as well as Domestic Purposes Beneficiaries.
THE OFFICERS of the Social Obligations and Responsibilities
Unit knocked on Charlotte’s front door as she was preparing breakfast. She
always tried to send her children off to school with something hot and
nutritious – not always successfully. Justin and Katherine were both teenagers
and did not appear to believe in eating anything at all. Most mornings they
simply opened the refrigerator, grabbed the orange juice, took a swig, and
then, offering their mother a desultory wave, disappeared for the rest of the
day. Charlotte would be left with more French toast, pancakes and scrambled
eggs than she could possibly eat. Usually she ended up scraping most of it into
the re-cycling bin.
In fact, she was just on the point of throwing out her
offspring’s untouched breakfasts when the SORU came a-knocking.
“Mrs Robinson?” The young woman who spoke was thin and
angular with a set of teeth that appeared to have been borrowed from a horse.
Her colleague, as round as she was straight, wore rimless glasses and resembled
an extremely well-fed and intelligent domestic cat.
“That’s me!” Charlotte replied brightly. “Can I help you?”
“By authority of the Social Obligations and Responsibilities
Act (2015)”, droned the young woman, reading from a small card, “I am empowered
to conduct a mandatory interview and inspection of the domicile of you, Mrs
Charlotte Elizabeth Robinson. Failure to fully co-operate with officers
performing their duties under the Act is a criminal offense punishable by a
$25,000 fine or six months imprisonment, or both. Do you understand?”
The young woman pushed past Charlotte and began inspecting
the large, well-appointed property room by room, making notes on a digital
clipboard.
“What’s this all about?” Charlotte asked the young woman’s
rotund sidekick.
“Complaints have been laid about your excessive energy
consumption, your failure to conserve and recycle, your unsound childrearing
practices, alcohol consumption and sexual promiscuity – we’re here to help.”
“Now just a minute!” Charlotte snapped. “I don’t know who
you’ve been talking to, but these accusations are outrageous. Who the hell told
you all this?”
“I’m afraid I cannot tell you that”, the young man said
primly, “the identity of complainants is privileged.”
The young woman strode into the kitchen and spotted the duo
of as yet unscraped breakfast plates.
“Are we to understand that you were about to throw this food
away, Mrs Robinson?”
“I was, yes.” Charlotte murmured, carefully examining the
toes of her slippers.
“And are we to further understand that you have allowed your
children to depart for their classes without an adequate breakfast?”
Charlotte nodded as the young woman tapped away furiously on
her digital clipboard.
The young woman flicked the screen with her fingers and
reviewed her notes.
“In this private dwelling I have detected five flat-screen
televisions and four personal computers – a number well above the recommended
maximum quantity of domestic electronic devices. In your bedside table, Mrs
Robinson, there are a large number of prescription drugs – prima facie evidence of an unhealthy dependence on mood-altering
medication. In your recycling bin there are a ridiculously large number of wine
and gin bottles – prima facie
evidence of a serious alcohol addiction. And, as my colleague noted upon
entering the property, there is a large sports utility vehicle parked, in
blatant contravention of the new regulations on automotive maximums, in your
excessively large garage.”
“We’re selling the SUV”, Charlotte protested.
The young woman shot her a disbelieving glance.
“Our complainants also report that your children have been
seen imbibing alcopops illegally in the local park, and that your daughter,
though under the age of consent, has been engaging in lascivious behaviour with
the 18 year old son of one of your neighbours.”
“For God’s sake!” wailed Charlotte, “They’re teenagers!”
“Under the Social Obligations and Responsibilities Act
(2015) Mrs Robinson, you have a duty to raise your children according to the
generally accepted social norms. Simply because you are a member of the
upper-middle-class you are not exempted from those responsibilities and
obligations.”
“In fact,” purred the corpulent young man, “it could be
argued that the enjoyment of such obvious privileges carries with it an even
greater obligation to behave responsibly. People like yourself should take care
to offer the less fortunate members of society – beneficiaries for example – a
positive role model.”
“Which brings us to the affair you’re currently conducting
with Mr Benjamin Braddock.” The young woman touched her keypad and an extremely
embarrassing image flashed up on the screen. “Does this sort of behaviour
reflect a proper understanding of a wife and mother’s social obligations and
responsibilities, Mrs Robinson?”
Charlotte blushed bright red.
“I will be recommending to my superiors that your husband’s
taxes be doubled, Mrs Robinson. You’ll be attending drug rehabilitation and
parenting classes. Your children will receive counselling. The SUV will, of
course, be confiscated.”
This short-story was
originally published in The Press of
Tuesday, 24 July 2012.
7 comments:
Almost exactly my view of the future under a Labour/Green government.........except perhaps that they wouldn't have been allowed to import the SUV at all.
Very perceptive Jigsaw, exactly the sort of joyless future in store for us under a Labour/Green Government, be very afraid.
Funny how the right want to keep government out of THEIR lives, but not the poor's.
Chris is being facetious, wilfully ignoring the fact that it is infinitely reasonable for taxpayers to expect the recipients of public funds to meet certain conditions and obligations.
In fact this is a much needed social adjustment: for too long decent Kiwis have carried all of the burden of responsibility while the welfare-guzzling criminal classes* have enjoyed nothing but rights in the form of cradle-to-the-grave State financing of every aspect of their lifestyle choices.
Inadvertently, Chris has accurately described the totalitarian future envisioned by the Labour and Green parties. This is social order that the Leninist Labour party and the Maoist Greens intend to impose upon us.
Myself, I hope that a Labour/Green government introduces something like this, or something similar like compulsory unionism.
Because it will lead to civil war. A civil war that decent New Zealand will win.
(*) the Labour electorate.
Gotta say I love this one Chris, shades of the old Harrison Bergeron story. And damn glad it works well to skewer just about all the various factions that think it is their sole goal to control how everyone thinks and acts. Without any form of common sense I think just about any of the parties could head this way with only minor variations if the real extremists were allowed to grow their power.
Nice work
National aren't even trying to hide the lunacy any more.
Although, spare a thought for the poor workers who will be forced to administer this insane policy. They'll be lucky to get out of some neighbourhoods without getting their cars trashed and crap thrown at them by masked people who object to the government's selective paternalism.
Well done Trotter. With reactions like this, you're obviously hitting the mark.
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