Here's the latest Maori Party policy.
To gift $500 to parents of some 230,000 children 'living in poverty' and superannuitants, to help them over the Xmas period.
They say it will cost $136 million.
I make it roughly $300 million (500,000 superannuitants and 100,000 parents x $500)
Basically workers are being asked to pass the hat and put in $150 each so beneficiaries can get a $500 Christmas present. Labour governments have done this sort of thing in the past, although perhaps not exclusively for beneficiaries.
The Maori Party say it will be good for the economy because the recipients will spend it. That is making the assumption that you will not. Of course you are 'rich' and won't need the money yourself at Xmas.
One lady is honest enough to acknowledge the money might not reach the children.
"Who it makes a difference to depends on which families you give it to. There are a lot of drugs and alcohol. If I'm being honest [there are some who would] rather spend money on things like that."
But that is just an annoying detail. Probably the price the Maori Party are prepared to pay.
But will National or Labour?
Is this what the Maori Party support will come down to?
Back in 2006 Tariana said, "...the Maori Party is not for sale."
It is. And so are the other minor parties. But I would hope that a party like ACT would set a price that was of benefit to all New Zealanders. If the Maori Party hold the balance of power I fear that their actions will create division and resentment. I hope I am wrong.
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4 comments:
Maori National Socialist Party in action.
Brian Smaller
I think the idea is great. About time someone puts their thoughts to the 230,000 kids and the 43,000 pensioners (which equals $136.5m, so you should check your math) who live in houselholds earning less than 60% of the countrys average wage. Angeline Greensill is a dedicated social leader and environmentalist, so I don't doubt her integrity.
Besides, a similar $10b package was announced in Australia last month, to wide applause. Kids in welfare families got $1000 and pensioners received $1400, or $2100 if they were a couple. Here, because its a Maori Party idea, it gets panned. Quite typical actually.
No, great idea and hats off to Angeline Greensill. She and the Maori Party are one of the few to think about poor families this election so I hope she wins Hauraki-Waikato. We are in need of a change and she/they can do it.
Yes they can.
Tawa
"Households earning"?
That is all part of this fiction of equality. Benefits are not "earned". They are received from the state and paid for by the taxpayer.
The newspaper article did not make clear which superannuitants would be included. In fact it described the uncertainty over how the eligibility would be defined.
And I don't care whose idea it is. It is still a bad one if you believe, as I do, that wealth redistribution through state force (instead of through the labour market or voluntary giving) creates more problems than it solves.
The poor are generally poor because of their own decisions or destructive habits. Handouts only encourage them to stay poor. How come the Maori Party can see that the dole is destructive but the DPB isn't?
Yeah the Maori party are for sale.
And I think that National will pay the price.
The real price is Billions - 5% of government spending. They maori party want all spending on health, education, welfare and all the rest given to Maori welfare organisations
So this could be great: ACT gets the dole & DBP stopped - but only for non-Maori.
Turn up at the Dole office, if you can show your "maori card" you get $$$ - if you can't you get nothing.
vote Maori party!
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