Greens will put kids at heart of election priorities

The Green Party is committing to put kids at the heart of the election campaign, and is supporting the major new Tick for Kids initiative launched today by over thirty children’s’ education, health and welfare organisations.

“Children will be at the heart of the Green Party’s election campaign. With new policies we will offer all our kids much greater opportunities immediately, while building better futures for them in the longer term,” said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei.

“The Tick for Kids campaign is a great initiative that the Green Party supports.

“This election is our country’s chance to turn the tide on poverty and inequality and make our country the best place in the world for kids to grow up.

“This election should be about the public deal we make for our kids, not the self-serving backroom deals between politicians,” said Mrs Turei.

The Green Party has already announced a significant number of election policies directly relating to children. These include:
· School hubs policy, including a school hubs community coordinator in every decile 1-4 school

· Free school lunches in decile 1-4 schools

· Free school nurses in decile 1-4 schools

· Free after school care for children in decile 1-4 schools and access to subsidies extended to all low income kids

· Free doctors’ visits and prescriptions for all children up to age 18

· Major extension of the home insulation scheme to ensure warm and dry homes for kids to grow up in

· Home for Life package including rent to own scheme for low income families and a warrant of fitness on rental accommodation

“All Kiwi kids deserve a great start in life. But too many are being left behind by National’s policies. Kids need political parties to put them first,” said Mrs Turei.

“The Green Party’s education and health policies are about removing the barriers that inequality puts in the way of kids achieving all they are capable of.

“National’s welfare policies that penalise the children of parents not in work, and big budget cuts in education and health spending, will be detrimental to our children’s futures.

“National has its head in the sand when it comes to inequality and poverty. Major new policies are needed to make New Zealand fair again.

“Child poverty and inequality are a ticking time bomb for our country, and both have grown under National. We need to make new major investments in education and health to mitigate the worst aspects of poverty and inequality and offer kids a great start to life,” said Mrs Turei.

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