3 May 2019

Milestone in Green Party campaign to overhaul the welfare system

The Green Party welcomes the release of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group report Whakamana Tāngata: Restoring Dignity to Social Security in New Zealand, Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson announced today.

“We campaigned to end benefit sanctions, to raise abatement thresholds and to increase incomes. We need to put the heart back into our social support system. Today’s report creates a roadmap for our long term vision and sets out the goals we need to work towards,” Marama Davidson said.

“Our Government is now removing one of the key excessive sanctions that the Greens campaigned against, and increasing the amount people can earn before their benefit is cut. This is a crucial step toward delivering on our Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Labour Party. Families who rely on welfare shouldn’t be forced to live in poverty. Everyone in Aotearoa deserves a decent standard of living.

“After three decades of neglect, today’s announcements are small but necessary steps toward fixing our broken welfare system. We know people are struggling and we have a duty to ensure everyone’s needs are properly met, and that no one is trapped in poverty.

“We will continue to work constructively with our Government partners to make the necessary further changes to our social support system. Every person in New Zealand deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and should be supported to participate fully in our communities.

“Our social support system does not exist in isolation. We need a holistic approach to make sure our education, health, housing, and employment policies work for everyone – especially those who have been marginalised by decades of state neglect,” Marama Davidson said.

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