The Salvation Army report on poverty is out and it is the usual grim reading of great first steps, but….
Salvation Army report highlights ‘stubborn’ poverty, ‘sharp increase’ in teen suicide rate
Despite “limited improvement” being made in the lives of many New Zealanders, poverty remains “stubborn” for those most disadvantaged in the country, the latest Salvation Army State of the Nation Report has concluded.
The annual report monitors social indicators such as employment, housing, crime, addiction and gambling to assess how New Zealand is progressing socially.
All in all, the Salvation Army described the results as “a mixed bag”.
Although the Government could “take heart” that some level of progress was being seen across most indicators, “poverty at the most disadvantaged levels of our community remain stubborn”, said Lieutenant Colonel Ian Hutson, the Salvation Army’s director of social policy.
If we can borrow billions for bloody roads, why not a few billion more for real welfare reform?
This Government has pitifully only adopted 2 of the 42 recommendations on Welfare reform because they are too frightened of angering the sleepy hobbits of muddle Nu Zilind who will rear up on their hind legs and scream ‘why are bludgers getting more’.
To get around not having the courage to raise benefits, Labour needs to create ‘The Kiwi Dividend’ which will see the first $10 000 you earn as tax free. This will inadvertently raise benefits and help working NZers and students and pensions without actually having to raise any of those benefits.
If only we could respond to the housing crisis, inequality, climate change and child poverty issues with the same speed and decisiveness we can to keep Concert on FM.
… ” If we can borrow billions for bloody roads, why not a few billion more for real welfare reform? ” …
I’m sorry Martyn, but that reminded me of a simpler time a Keynesian time, a time before 1984 when this country was the ideal of social and economic egalitarianism.
We Don’t Know How Lucky We Are
https://youtu.be/EwgHGeGxlus?t=11
As an atheist I believe more in God than I do Labour’s social policy
Well, it is all up to the government, is it not?
Jacinda simply does not care enough.
Fully agree first ten k tax free is an absolutely fantastic idea as labour policy, some of it’s international sister parties have passed similar laws.
It both progressive and centerist , destroys the idiotic taxcinda narrative, blunts all nationals attacks around tax. Raises incomes for workers and the unemployed , it’s universal so will be popular with everyone. It’s a win win.
Have that and phasing in universal dental as a policy and fingers crossed (c’mon labour) some of the welfare working groups proposals and that’s the start of a pretty exciting (for NZ) manifesto
There’s plenty of taxpayer money available for aged migrant parents coming to NZ and 150,000 new migrants over 15 years with zero income who migrated here under our rules..
Super is the biggest benefit being paid out. So they are adding more overseas beneficiaries to it and that cost has to come from somewhere.
Crickets from the woke though on this issue, no criticism from Salvation Army and the ‘poor’ advocates.
At the end of the day, migrating to NZ costs about $100k (student fees, cheap job) and on the back of that you can get up to 4 aged parents over to be supported for health care needs, super at 43% of the NZ average wage and their retirement home care which with alzheimers and so forth can be millions as well. The super alone is valued up to 1 million dollars of benefits, so a mere 100k investment to get NZ residency and a degree and job and dual residency and free education for your kids, is well worth an increasingly crap degree and stupid low paid job here.
“To meet the residency requirements for New Zealand Superannuation, Veteran’s Pension (New Zealand pensions) and most New Zealand benefits, generally, you must:
be lawfully resident, and
be present, and
be ordinarily resident in New Zealand, and
have spent some time living in New Zealand (a period of residence).”
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/pensions/travelling-or-moving/moving-to-nz/residency-requirements-for-new-zealand-benefits-and-pensions.html
“Similarities between a resident and a permanent resident visa[edit]
The holder of any resident class visa is entitled:[1]
to stay in New Zealand indefinitely
to work in New Zealand or in the exclusive economic zone of New Zealand
to study in New Zealand
to receive free or subsidised health care at publicly funded health services.[2]
to free education at state-run primary and secondary schools, and subsidised fees for domestic students at private schools and tertiary institutions.[3]
to enrol and vote in elections (after one year of residence).[4][5]
to receive a social security benefit (after two years’ residence for Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support and Supported Living Payment; after ten years’ residence for New Zealand Superannuation; varies for other benefits).
to sponsor a partner, parents or dependent children during their visa application[6]
Differences between a resident and a permanent resident visa[edit]”
Maybe woke can get more action on poverty if they work out that the money currently spend on the world ‘s middle class migrants to be supported in NZ, could be at the expense and increasing the poor in NZ.
When there are more Asian pensioners in 2018 than Maori Pensioners and expected to triple in 15 years and nobody is concerned about it when that is the biggest social welfare expense, then what is going on?
Tax free thresholds do nothing for benefits or superannuation because they are set as net figures, not gross figures, and tax is added to it, not subtracted.
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