David SHEARER
Labour Leader
28 August 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT
John Key in denial over Kiwis in hardship
The number of Kiwi children living in poverty has grown significantly under John Key’s watch but rather than acknowledging the problem, the Prime Minister would rather play the fool in Parliament, says Labour Leader David Shearer.
The Household Incomes report released yesterday says "Child poverty rates were flat from 2009 to 2011 – this is a good result in the circumstance"
“John Key’s flippant response to this crisis is disappointing. He refuses to accept the findings of several reports showing the gap between the rich and poor is the widest it has ever been, that inequality is rising and the number of children living in hardship is up to 21%.
Just as the level of inequality dropped in the 2009/10 year, it is entirely possible it dropped in the most recent 2011/12 year due to current economic volatility. The most recent year isn't yet available.
“John Key just shrugs his shoulders and says, oh well, ‘things are bouncing around’ for these children and their families. Apparently it’s all the fault of the global financial crisis and that’s why he hasn’t been able to deliver the so-called brighter future he’s been promising Kiwis for years.
The report says that because of the GFC, the Christchurch earthquakes, the economic downturn and recovery it cannot predict where inequality trends will go.
“Hard-working parents can’t support their family on the paltry $13.50 an hour they’re earning. But John Key’s not rushing to help them out, saying only that they’ll ‘eventually’ get a pay rise.
And a single earner family with two children on $55,000 or less effectively pays no tax.
“Children are going to school without breakfast or lunch because their parents can’t afford to feed them but John Key’s more interested in spending millions of dollars on drug-testing people.
Can't afford to feed them? Even KidsCan says it takes just $241 per year to feed each of these children, maybe a dollar a school day. DPB beneficiaries get an average of around $516 a week.
“More than 50,000 New Zealanders are leaving for Australia looking for better paying jobs every year but Bill English says we shouldn’t be crying over them at the airport.
“This Government doesn’t have solutions for these problems. It just has excuses,” said David Shearer.
And you want us to prefer your crap?
3 comments:
Shearer should look at the cause ie irresponsible people having too many children knowing full well that they can not afford it. The sooner we stop paying people to have children the better. You should get child support for 3 children ,if you want more then the responsibility of keeping, feeding and housing them is your responsibility. Do not expect the taxpayer to foot the bill for your deeds.
Key and Shearer are so stupid they make Darwin's lie trivial.
***Shearer should look at the cause ie irresponsible people having too many children knowing full well that they can not afford it. The sooner we stop paying people to have children the better.***
If people have children I am in favour of ensuring vouchers are available for essential foods (eg cereals, milk, vegetable & fruit).
However, it needs to be linked to contraceptive implants or birth control shots. Otherwise the current system is not going to be sustainable.
Post a Comment