Incomes in South Auckland plummeting

Reports that incomes in South Auckland are plummeting is further evidence inequality for Māori and Pacific families is growing under the National Government, Labour’s MP for Māngere Su’a William Sio says.

“According to the 2013 Census data, incomes in the Mangere-Otahuhu local board areas fell by 16 per cent and by 17 per cent in the Otara-Papatoetoe local board areas.

“In addition, the Child Poverty Monitor also found there are 265,000 children and their families living in poverty. Of those children, 40 per cent are living in a household with at least one working adult.

“Around 33 per cent of both Māori and Pacific children live in poor households.

“However of greatest concern is that 51 per cent of Pacific children are in families experiencing ‘material hardship’, meaning they go without basics such as healthy food and warm, secure housing. This is the highest rate for any ethnic groups in New Zealand.

“Those of us who live in these communities see the persistent struggles and hardship that our families are experiencing every day.

“These are good families who are forced to make difficult choices for their kids. Parents are struggling to provide the best for their children with meagre incomes. They constantly risk falling behind with rent and other bills, and subsequently face eviction and having their power cut off.

“National’s two Pacific MPs Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and Alfred Ngaro need to acknowledge the harm growing inequality is doing to their communities,” Su’a William Sio says.

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