Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Green Party Proposes Transformational Poverty Action Plan

The Green Party is today unveiling its Poverty Action Plan, which includes a Guaranteed Minimum Income to ensure people have enough to live with dignity.

The scheme resets income support payments to ensure everyone not in full-time paid work gets at least $325 a week. People with kids or disability will receive extra support.

Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today:

“During COVID-19 we’ve seen our collective ability to work together to change the system for the better, in a way which benefits all of us. Today, the Green Party is announcing a plan to ensure everyone has enough to put food on the table and a roof over their head.

“For the past thirty years, Aotearoa’s social safety net has trapped people in poverty, by keeping support payments too low and creating complex barriers to getting support.

“This means people who are out of work, students, single parents, and those with health conditions and disabilities are often under financial stress with few options to improve their lives – especially as housing costs continue to increase.

“Our Guaranteed Minimum Income will mean when people ask for help, they get it. It will replace the dehumanising and unliveable social safety net we currently have, which we know does not allow people to live good lives.

“Our Poverty Action Plan also ensures that those who find themselves unable to work due to sickness or disability are properly supported, and have enough to live on.”

To fund the overhaul, the Green Party is proposing a 1% levy on wealth over $1 million. Those with wealth over $2 million would pay 2%.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

The Green Party is also proposing two new high income tax brackets for the highest earners.

“Our Guaranteed Minimum Income is about fairness. It’s about ensuring those who have done well under our current system pay it forward and share that success with people who are struggling.

“COVID-19 has revealed the glaring holes in our social safety net. It’s also presented an opportunity to fix them once and for all, and create truly equal communities where everyone can thrive.

“This plan creates a fairer Aotearoa, and moves all of us forward together.” Marama Davidson concluded.

ENDS

Our Poverty Action Plan will:

Reset income support payments to ensure everyone not in fulltime paid work, including students, has income of at least $325 a week.

Support sole parents with a top-up of $110, bringing their base payments to $435 per week.

Change abatement and relationship rules so people and their partners can earn more from paid work before their income support entitlements are reduced.

Provide a $100 a week universal payment to families for each child under three, building on the existing Best Start system.

Replace Working for Families tax credits with a single Family Support Credit of $190 per week for the first child and $120 per week for subsequent children, with a higher abatement threshold and lower abatement rate.

Reform ACC into an Agency for Comprehensive Care covering all health-related income support within a single system with guaranteed payments of at least 80% of the fulltime minimum wage.

Introduce a wealth tax for those with a net-worth over $1 million, and introduce top-tier tax brackets for the highest earners.

https://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/2006/Poverty_Action_Plan__Marama_Davidson_speech_EMBARGOED_1.pdf

https://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/2006/Poverty_Action_Plan_policy_document_EMBARGOED_2.pdf

https://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/2006/Poverty_Action_Plan_summary_EMBARGOED_2.pdf

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.