You are just being pedantic for the sake of it. You can call it welfare if you wish, but it is an "entitlement" for everyone who meets the residency requirements, as outlined here:
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/el...-overview.html
There are no other qualification requirements. Every NZ resident is entitled to this payment. If you meet that requirement you are guaranteed to receive the pension.
All other welfare "benefits" are approved on a temporary basis, and must be reviewed regularly. Most are means tested. Most of them require you to regularly declare your income, keep WINZ updated on things like relationship status, health issues (if a health related benefit) etc. There is
zero guarantee that any person will be approved to receive any of these benefits.
Sure, the money may come from the general bucket of "welfare" funding, but that is purely for logistics, and is not intended to reflect the fact that the pension is a "welfare benefit."
So, just stop with the BS. You know full well this is the case.