The Liberal Agenda – Protest outside of Jacinda Ardern’s Office: Action on the Sanctions

Protest outside of Jacinda Ardern’s Office: Action on the Sanctions

Auckland Action Against Poverty will be hosting a peaceful protest outside of Jacinda Ardern’s electoral office this Friday, 18th of May, to call for an end on benefit sanctions against solo parents. Media are invited to attend. 

Under Section 70A, mothers who don’t name their children’s biological father in the birth certificate are penalised up to $28 per week per child that is not declared. Every year, $25,000,000 a year is taken from solo parents through Section 70A sanctions. There’s over 13,000 sole parents being sanctioned at the moment.

The Labour Party promised to remove Section 70A sanction before the election, but all signs point out no action will be taken on this as part of this year’s budget. Both Jacinda Ardern, and Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni have pointed out that the removal of Section 70A could take up to three years, citing funding as one of the major constrains.

This action is part of the Stop the Sanctions campaign, which was launched by Auckland Action Against Poverty in 2016.

The demands for Friday’s protest are:

1. The immediate end to the 70A sanction
2. The end to all benefit sanctions and obligations.
3. Tax the rich, end the Budget Responsibility Rules.