23 August 2005

CPAG deplores the lack of recognition of child poverty

The poorest children have been quite invisible in both Labour and National's tax packages. If there is so much extra money to spend why have they both chosen to exclude the worst-off?

After waiting since 1996 a couple on a sickness benefit with one child was given an miserly $7.50 per week increase in 2005, a sole parent with two children on the DPB got only an extra $9.50 per child. Under Labour's working for families they miss out on the generous in work payment in 2006.

In fact they get nothing at all in 2006 and an increase of only $10 a child in 2007. But under National they wont even get this. National will wipe the increase in Family Support for 2007 while giving over $90 a week to those on $100,000. National's package will increase the median disposable household income and poor children will fall further and further behind. As a developed country we should be embarrassed at the international figures that have put us fourth worst in the developed world.

Labour was turning this around slowly but National will make us look much worse and increase the marginalisation of the poorest children. National will deny an extra $10 a week to the poorest child while ensuring that a two high income earner family gets $180 or more a week in tax cuts.

ENDS

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