Greens amendment would give newborn support to all babies

The Green Party has drafted an amendment to the Budget Bill for newborns which extends the Parental Tax Credit support to all babies, not just those whose parents are in paid work.

The Parental Tax Credit is a payment for newborns that provides financial support for lower income parents to spend time with their babies and help with the cost of nappies, clothes and other essentials.

“It’s great that the amount of tax credit is being increased but its important that all newborns and their parents get the benefit of this support,” Green Party income support spokesperson Jan Logie said.

“My supplementary order paper is a chance for MPs to remove a discrimination in the Income Tax Act which denies access to the Parental Tax Credit to babies whose parents are reliant on a benefit.

“The Parental Tax Credit is not an incentive to work, it is a helping hand for families at a sensitive time in a baby’s life. There is no justification for denying babies whose parents have lost a job, or can’t find work, the helping hand that other babies and their families get.

The Government’s own advice on the Bill says poverty is one of the greatest risks to child health and development. Its own regulatory impact statement says: ‘Reducing parental stress especially in the early years is good for children in the short and longer term’.

“Based on the Government’s own advice there is no sense in denying this financial support to babies born into families on the lowest income.

“All newborns deserve the best chance of a good start in life.

“That’s why the Green Party’s policy is to extend Paid Parental Leave to 13 months, and to support Labour’s efforts to increase it to 26 weeks in the meantime.

“All kiwi babies deserve the best possible start in life, with the necessities provided, in the care of those who love them,” Ms Logie said.

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