Media statement

For immediate release

Wednesday 18 February 2004

Copeland: Low income families in line for $2000 per child

Low income families may benefit by $2000 a year per child in the next Budget, according to United Future’s finance and revenue spokesman, Gordon Copeland.

“New Zealanders have yet to appreciate the enormous potential to assist families in the Government’s $1 billion a year families assistance package, due to be announced later this year,” said Mr Copeland.

“This is an enormous amount of money and has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of families with dependent children.

“For example, if the amount was simply spread evenly across the 500,000 children who live in working families with a household income of $60,000 a year or less, then the amount per child would work out to $38 per week, or $2,000 per year.

“Thus a family of three children for example would have an extra $115 a week in their pockets or some $6,000 per year.

Mr Copeland said “These are figures are simplistic and the actual package itself will be anything but simplistic! It has to take into account a whole variety of factors such as accommodation supplements, abatement regimes etc.

“However these complexities should not be allowed to obscure the fact that overall the package has the potential to deliver significant and much needed assistance to low and middle income NZ families.

“Like other New Zealanders I will take a great interest therefore in this year’s Budget speech from Finance Minister Michael Cullen and eagerly await the details.”

Ends

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