AUCKLAND ACTION AGAINST POVERTY
Media release 11 December 2012, 9.40am

EAG Report Highlights Lack of Access to Financial Assistance

The EAG's report on Solutions to Child Poverty highlighted that accessing all major benefits and in-work payments is not always straightforward and recommends monitoring the take-up by eligible families, says Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson, Sarah Thompson.

“This problem of accessibility was witnessed in droves yesterday by AAAP and other North Island Advocates at our group's beneficiary 'Impact' outside of Work and Income Onehunga,” says Ms. Thompson.

“Many experienced advocates involved in our event noted the lack of peoples access to supplementary assistance because of Work and Income's culture of unfairly denying people what is rightfully theirs and the humiliation incurred when scrutinised by Work and Income.

“One woman who came along said she hadn't come to Work and Income sooner because she felt humiliated by Work and Income's constant questioning and judgment.

“This kind of treatment places the onus of people's poverty squarely on their shoulders when, in reality, the problem is the widening gap between income and what it costs to survive.

“As the EAG report recommends, benefit rates need to be monitored to ensure they keep up with economic productivity and the cost of living - which, since cuts in 1991 has not been the case.

“Our rally this afternoon from 12pm-2pm across from Onehunga Work and Income aims to highlight the failure of this Governments policies to reduce poverty, with Jacinda Ardern, Jan Logie and John Minto speaking to their parties' welfare policies."

ENDS

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