April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government.

“April 1 is now a painful reminder of how much more Kiwi families are being forced to pay,” Labour jobs and incomes spokesperson Ginny Andersen said.

“This Government has made a series of choices that have left New Zealanders worse off. Jobs are being cut, wages are falling behind, and support for struggling families is being scaled back. Times are tough for a lot of families, with the Government’s choices making it even tougher.”

Here’s just some of the ways this Government is stripping away support for New Zealanders:

• The minimum wage will rise by a measly 35 cents, well below inflation. This means tens of thousands of workers are effectively taking a pay cut.
• Electricity lines charges are increasing, driving up power bills by an average of $10 a month, just as we head into winter. In some regions, the increase could be as high as $25.
• Student loan interest rates for overseas borrowers are jumping to 4.9%, hitting young Kiwis hard who are trying to make ends meet
• Jobseekers have increased by almost 22,000 people in the past 12 months alone
• Māori and Pasifika whanau have it worse, with unemployment figures almost double that of the general rate

“Meanwhile, National is prioritising landlords over hard-working Kiwi families by letting landlords claim a 100% mortgage interest deduction, a $2.9 billion tax cut. That’s money that could have gone to lifting wages, funding school lunches, or expanding access to public housing but instead it’s going to wealthy property investors,” Ginny Andersen said.

“The jump in jobseekers in the past year is an utter indictment on this Government’s policies,” Labour social development spokesperson Willie Jackson said.

“Under Labour, April 1 meant higher wages and more support for those doing it tough. Under National, April 1 has turned into a day workers and struggling families dread,” Willie Jackson said.

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