Easton loses fight to get his dole reinstated
AN UNEMPLOYED serial litigant will not get his dole back while he continues to shun paid work, despite challenging the decision in the High Court.
Benjamin Easton, 53, was stripped of his three-and-a-half-year unemployment benefit in February 2010 after telling The Dominion Post he was voluntarily on the dole and wasn’t looking for work. He had ‘‘sacrificed’’ his career to take up ‘‘social issues’’, he said at the time.
Mr Easton’s campaigns have included fathers’ rights, the Manners Mall bus route, and the Occupy Wellington demonstration.
After his comments were published, Mr Easton was stripped of his benefit payments, but challenged the decision in the High Court, with his case heard on June 24.
On Thursday, Justice Jill Mallon released her decision, denying a reinstatement of the dole.
‘‘The ministry’s decision to cancel Mr Easton’s unemployment benefit on 25 February was lawful. Voluntary activities undertaken for the benefit of the community do not qualify as fulltime employment,’’ the decision said.
‘‘Mr Easton has a long involvement in court proceedings and other activities, motivated by his beliefs about certain social issues. Mr Easton believes he is uniquely placed to bring to the court’s atten- tion significant improprieties and corruption . . . Mr Easton contends he has always worked.
‘‘[But] the legislation does not provide an unemployment benefit for people who are engaged in these activities. That is so no matter how sincere and committed a person is to the causes they pursue and how diligently and relentlessly that person pursues them.’’
But Mr Easton contends his litigation and activism are in the public interest – and insists he should be paid for his services. ‘‘The public owe me. I work for the public. The public interest is that I’m remunerated for that work. That’s logical,’’ he said yesterday.
In the days before losing his dole in 2010, he told The Dominion Post: ‘‘I live deliberately and directly on the unemployment benefit so I can bring the people’s challenge to the courts and the system.’’
Yesterday, he added: ‘‘I must do something, because no-one else is doing it and it is urgent.’’
But Justice Mallon said Mr Easton’s own opinion of his work did not adhere to the legislative requirements of the unemployment benefit.
‘‘To qualify, an applicant needs to be able to prove they are seeking fulltime employment, are available to work, are willing and able to undertake it, and have taken reasonable steps to find a job.’’