Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens Welcomes Plan To Reduce Cost Of Fruit And Vegetables

Pacific people will benefit from the removal of GST from fruit and vegetables according to Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens, an organisation that provides services to many Pacific families in Porirua and elsewhere in New Zealand.

Whānau Manaaki’s community services senior leader Caroline Mareko says making fruit and vegetables cheaper will encourage more healthy eating options among families and communities.

Caroline says Pacific families will be able to afford and access more healthier foods for better living.

Whānau Manaaki operates several home-based Pacific early childhood networks in Porirua and Levin, a Whānau Ora contract that serves 264 Pacific families, and 108 kindergartens around New Zealand including several that focus on Pacific language and culture.

“We support policies that help our Pacific communities make healthy choices, which will benefit the overall health and wellbeing of our people” says Caroline.

Food has become increasingly expensive, and fruit and vegetables have risen in price markedly this year, she says. Pacific people want to make healthy choices, but this is difficult when there is limited income to spend on food.

“We welcome this announcement, which will remove a tax on health.”

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