Sixth Vulnerability Report: Recession Grinds On

Christchurch Earthquake
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Christchurch as they experience the huge vulnerability brought about by last Saturday’s devastating earthquake. We thank God that no lives were lost and pray for a speedy recovery for those who are injured”, said Ruby Duncan, the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) Acting President. “We know that the Methodist Mission has been badly affected by the earthquake and that their fellow Christian and other community service agencies have provided much needed support to allow them to begin to once again help the many Christchurch people who need support. Reports of an increased level of domestic violence since the earthquake are signals that underlying stress in this tight economic environment has tipped many families over the edge. The stress from a natural disaster has added to the crisis in housing and unemployment that families face and will be intensified over the coming weeks and months as people seek to rebuild lives.”

Recession Grinds On
“Eighteen months after the first Vulnerability Report was released the impacts of the recession are having a grinding effect on vulnerable families”, said Trevor McGlinchey NZCCSS Executive Officer. “Social services agencies are fully stretched with families suffering huge hardship due to lack of employment and unable to survive on the very low rates of unemployment and other benefit payments”

“Winter has been a particularly difficult time with demand for food parcels rising as families have used most of their incomes on heating and rent – leaving little or nothing for food.” Trevor McGlinchey said. “The increasing rates of unemployment are not being experienced evenly with Māori rates more than double the national all ethnicities rate. Māori youth – between 15 and 24 years old have been badly impacted with an unemployment rate of 28.8%. Pacific youth are faring equally badly with same 28.8% unemployment rate”.

“The grinding effect of this recession becomes obvious as our agencies report the resilience of families, the ability to stretch and roll with the blows of low income and unemployment, is wearing thin” said Mr McGlinchey. “Christian social service providers are being asked to provide more and more family counselling and social work services as a sense of helplessness and hopelessness impacts on families’ ability to look after each other. Women’s Refuges are reporting an increase on demand for their services”.

Opportunities
The opportunity to use the changes in the tax regime to make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable people has been lost, the government has settled instead to make a small difference for those best off and to make the worse off no worse off. However, there are still opportunities to use the review of the welfare system by the Welfare Working Group and the recommendations for the development of the social housing infrastructure as proposed in the Home and Housed Report to make a real and lasting difference for vulnerable families. “The response to this work needs to focus on ensuring all New Zealanders have access to sufficient income and healthy housing – not on punitive measures for beneficiaries and lack of resourcing for social housing – including State houses”, said Ruby Duncan.

Vulnerability Reports will only be published on-line with printable versions downloadable from the www.justiceandcompassion.org.nz website.

Contact for further information:
Ruby Duncan, NZCCSS Acting President – (027) 455 5218 – (09) 269 1402
Trevor McGlinchey, NZCCSS Executive Officer – (027) 286 9393 – (04) 473 2627

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