It is impossible not to feel sorry for her 5 children. What kind of future do they really have when they are in a constant state of flux in education, accommodation and father?
Blame has to be laid squarely on the mother - what was she thinking when she had the last 3 children especially when she knew that the eldest one has special needs?
Then, there're the two dogs!
But the greatest blame is with the welfare system introduced by Clark & Cullen - 'Working for Family' which really should be renamed 'Working against Family'.
The way the system works, it is much better for any couple in her situation to live apart so as a solo parent, she can derive maximum payments and benefits from the welfare system. If they stay as a couple, they start losing out under the abatement system.
Have a look at a schedule of welfare payments depending on how many kids are produced by welfare beneficiaries in the table below :
https://www.ird.govt.nz/-/media/proj...20210308210347
As Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore said to John Key once, seems like NZ put in welfare systems without any idea of the outcome.