Someone mentioned to me that the government were going to cut benefits. "They're cutting our incomes!"
What??
Turns out they were talking about the "benefit cuts" combined advocates are now calling the end of the winter energy payment.
For instance:
Incomes are scheduled to be cut by up to $63 a week for many of New Zealand’s lowest-income households in less than a month, but Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) are both urging the Government to immediately raise family incomes instead, as an ongoing crisis-response measure. Families and couples receiving benefits and New Zealand Superannuation are set to get $63 less a week, and singles $41 less a week, from 1 October when the Winter Energy Payment (WEP) period ends.
But this is disingenuous.
The winter energy payment is a subsidy on higher heating costs through winter.
Those costs reduce as we move into spring and summer.
Labour can't take a trick at the moment.
The WEP was 'kind'.
But taking it away is 'cruel'.
2 comments:
Only in an Alice in Wonderland world could the end of a winter payment because winter has ended be called a cut. These people never give up. Amazing dishonesty.
The simple solution is to turn the "Winter Energy Payment" into a summer energy payment.
Climate change coupled with the election are going to see temperatures rise.
Air conditioning, ice machines and walk in wine chillers aint cheap to run. Couple those problems with having to acquire a new summer wardrobe and ample supplies of sun block, every dollar helps.
I'm thinking, should I buy a convertible for my trips grocery shopping on balmy benefit days??
Tough decisions for tough times.....
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