Christchurch Anti-Poverty Meeting December 17

The growth of poverty in New Zealand, and in particular in working class areas of Christchurch, is the subject of a public meeting at 7.30pm, Wednesday, December 17, in the Wainoni-Aranui Family Centre in Hampshire St.

"In the last financial year, the wealthiest people in this country, those on the NZ Rich List, saw their wealth increase at the fastest rate since the list first began to be compiled. Politicians have also done very well, with massive new pay increases. Yet, today, 400,000 workers are on $10 and less an hour real unemployment is several hundred thousand, and the massive cuts in widows', solo parents' and unemployed benefits of 1991 continue to ensure real poverty," Dr Philip Ferguson of Canterbury University, one of the speakers at the meeting, noted today.

"A recent prestigious Canadian study of OECD countries found that NZ workers' real wages have declined 6.5 percent over the past 20 years. We have the dubious distinction of being the only OECD country in which real wages have fallen."

The speakers at the meeting will include long-time local resident and founder of the 1977 Housewives Boycott Movement, Kathy Himiona; John Kerr, a full-time organiser for the National Union of Public Employees; and Sam Kingi, a volunteer organiser for the new UNITE union for the low-paid and beneficiaries.

The meeting is organised by the local Anti-Capitalist Alliance.

For further information, contact Sam Kingi: ski23@student.canterbury.ac.nz Dr Philip Ferguson: Philip.ferguson@canterbury.ac.nz

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