Maori Women Four Times More Likely To Be On DPB

Monday, November 27, 2006

Maori women are four times more likely to be on the DPB than non-Maori.

"This is a major cause for concern, " said Lindsay Mitchell, welfare commentator. "Almost one in four Maori women aged 18-64 are currently raising children on this benefit. For non-Maori the incidence drops to one in seventeen."

"Children raised on the DPB are more likely to be abused or neglected, suffer health problems, and struggle educationally. Rather than the gap between Maori and non-Maori closing, this far greater propensity for Maori to be on welfare will widen it."

"More Maori women give birth outside of a stable relationship and their heavy reliance on welfare indicates some degree of choice. Reducing the easy availability of the DPB is the first thing government should be doing to discourage future disparities and all the social problems they entail."

ENDS

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