AAAP Launches Campaign To Substantially Lift Benefits.

Auckland Action Against Poverty is launching a campaign to build commitment from Members of Parliament seeking to be part of Government to increase incomes across the board to liveable levels. The campaign launch will be held tomorrow, Thursday 9th of July, outside of the Manurewa Work and Income starting from 9am. There will be karakia, speeches and people on the benefit will be there to speak about why they are calling for Liveable Incomes for All.

“We’ve been calling for liveable benefits for years, participating in the Welfare Expert Advisory Group meetings, doing interviews, and speaking out about our lived realities on the benefit regularly. Despite the research and consensus by many communities that benefit levels need a substantive increase successive Governments have kept incomes below the poverty line for too many people. We are launching our Liveable Incomes for All campaign to hold politicians to account for their lack of courage and political will to lift benefits”, says Kathleen Paraha, Auckland Action Against Poverty Co-Chair.

“Too many people on the benefit are in debt with Work and Income and requiring regular food grants to survive because their baseline incomes are too low. The Liveable Incomes for All campaign will aim to build on the already existing mandate for welfare reform and get commitment from Members of Parliament to lift all baseline income support to liveable levels within the next term of Government.

“The Covid Income Relief Payment, which was almost double than the jobseeker rate, was an acknowledgement by the Government that baseline benefits were far too low. Our Government has demonstrated that it is possible to create a security net for people that leaves enough for people to live on, that is individualised and without punitive sanctions and obligations when they introduced the temporary Covid Income Relief Payment. We are calling on the Government to permanently overhaul our welfare system to one where people can live with dignity.

“We will be holding a meeting at the Papatoetoe Town Hall meeting on the 22nd of August to give an opportunity for representatives of political parties to commit to increasing baseline incomes to liveable levels in the next term of Government. Members of the public are invited to attend but we particularly welcome people who are on the benefit to hear whether politicians are committed to the wellbeing of our communities.”