CTU supports eliminating child poverty

The CTU President Helen Kelly welcomes the Green Party policy to address child poverty in New Zealand, especially their promise to bring 100,000 children out of poverty. The Green Party policy gives serious attention to this issue and outlines practical, realistic and achievable steps to bring children out of poverty.

"Child poverty is one of the greatest moral challenges of our time. We don't think there is anyone in New Zealand who wouldn't want to see it eliminated. What the Greens' have done in developing this policy is set out deliberate steps as to how we can achieve this," said Helen Kelly.

"The CTU continues to support an immediate rise in the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour. This will give the 100, 000 New Zealanders who are on the minimum wage now an immediate pay rise. A quarter of a million New Zealanders will benefit from this. This is policy that will benefit those who are hurting the most now."

"All too often we hear it said "we can't afford this" but we can't not afford to do this. We will be judged by our inaction if we refuse to support taking kids out of poverty when we have the means to do it. It behoves us all to get behind this policy and set of actions."

"This policy improves fairness and the lives of working New Zealanders through a very comprehensive policy approach. Changing the tax credit system to give beneficiaries access to the 'in work' tax credit means that people who are out of work through no fault of their own are not even more financially disadvantaged. The study support for sole parents and beneficiaries will give people the opportunity to improve skills and their chances in the labour market. Improving rental housing stock will help families and kids who live in substandard housing and disease producing environments," said Helen Kelly.

ENDS

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