While the Reserve Bank lowers the Official Cash Rate, it’s this Government’s policies driving poverty in our communities.

“The Reserve Bank’s decision to slightly lower interest rates today will be welcome news for some, but won’t help the approximate 23,000 more kids the Government is pushing into poverty,” says Green Party co-leader and spokesperson for Finance Chlöe Swarbrick.

“Monetary policy is a blunt instrument. It’s fiscal policy - that is, the Government’s choices on tax and spend - which dictates the rules, who wins, and who loses in our economy.

“This Government is actively pursuing policies shown to enhance hardship and grow poverty. They’re making thousands unemployed while simultaneously cutting support for those without work and threatening them with sanctions. Benefit sanctions are a tried, tested and failed policy.

“It beggars belief that of all the issues in front of us, this Government has chosen to focus on making life harder for those struggling to get by. But of course, the Prime Minister didn’t think to check the average beneficiary’s income before pursuing the anti-evidence, punch-down policy.

“Christopher Luxon is gutting the public services we all rely on to fund trickle down tax cuts. On the other hand, his Government has chosen to increase costs for our communities, whether it be public transport, prescriptions or cut-back school lunches.

“It’s past time for an economy that works for people and planet, instead of exploiting and exhausting both. While this Government tells people they’re making the ‘hard choices’ to push more kids into poverty and increase emissions, the Greens will continue to fight for the world we all deserve,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

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