Food Price Hike Shows Government Doesn't Care

Thursday, September 13 2001 Penny Webster Press Releases -- Economy

The huge rise in food prices is more evidence of the Government's complete disinterest in assisting working families, ACT Consumer Affairs Spokesman Penny Webster said today.

The Food Price Index rose 6.3 percent from August 2000 to August 2001 - the biggest rise since 1990.

"Beneficiaries have been made Labour and Alliance's priority. This Government doesn't seem to care about hardworking families. This group has been hit time and time again. They were subjected to four per cent inflation last year, which wasn't compensated by wage rises. The Government refused to adjust the Community Services Card. And now statistics prove what anecdotal evidence has already shown: food prices have risen faster than they have for over a decade.

"The most shocking figures were for fruit and vegetables which rose by 12.5 percent, and for meat, fish and poultry, which rose by 11.9 percent.

"The economic climate this Government has created shows they have no interest in helping out working families. Ideology and the backward steps this Government takes will not fill supermarket trolleys," Penny Webster said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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