Congratulations To Labour But There Is A Lot Of Work To Be Done – Closing The Gap

Congratulations to Labour on an outstanding result in the recent elections. They now have the political capital to make a real difference to New Zealand says Peter Malcolm spokesperson for Income Equality Aotearoa NZ Inc “Closing the Gap”

The issues of income and wealth inequality including poverty, and affordable, available and social housing are the major problems still facing New Zealand. And when you look at the effects of inadequate spending on health, education, benefits, social housing, it reflects badly on inequality particularly on the poor.

Quite frankly the progress on these things over the last three years has been pathetic. Spin has been telling otherwise but when you look at the facts there has been a start, a lot of noise, but little progress. Now that they are rid of Winston, and have the support of the Greens, those of us concerned about social justice really expect Labour to deliver ie significant changes to the tax and benefit systems that seriously lift the incomes of all those at the bottom and decrease the income and the wealth of those at the top, make a serious dent in the housing crisis which still exists and lift the overall tax take so the Government can also make a difference in those other areas mentioned above that will significantly improve the lives of so many New Zealanders.

Labour’s election promises were honestly a bit pathetic in the direction of social justice but that was understandable in terms of electioneering and dealing with the covid 19 crisis. We now expect them to now really make a difference.