National Day of Action Against Welfare Reform National

Christchurch Picket 1pm WINZ on Riccarton Rd Friday 5th October.

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice , you have chosen the side of the oppressor”.

Bishop Desmond Tutu

The aim of the National Day of Action against Welfare Reform on the 5th of oct 2012 is to hold The NZ National Party accountable for implementing detrimental welfare policies that stigmatise and vilify the poor also to expose the unethical tactics used to fast track legislation of these policies. In April 2012 Chief Human Rights Commissioner David Rutherford criticised the submissions process, saying “the constrained timeframe of just 11 working days undermined the principles of democracy”.

The ministry of justice has also admitted that the welfare reforms are discriminatory

Because of this we believe they are in breach of the NZ Bill of Rights Act in May 23, this year Green MP Jan Logie made these comments

“It has been noted that the proposed welfare reforms will breach ICESCR (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) articles 2,3,4,6,9,10,11 and 12 and concerns have been raised by the Human Rights Commission and many others noting breaches to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention of Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.”

New Zealand deserves integrity and honesty from its leaders. We request not only an enquiry but also more dialogue and transparency from NZ Government also that the Attorney General’s Report in to these matters be released to the public as we believe the Welfare Reform Bill to be invalid not only for human rights breaches but also for the breach of Article 2 of the Treaty

and the breach of the UNDRIP which was endorsed by government in 2010

We believe the National party has utilised beneficiaries as the scapegoats of NZ which is unfair considering the tax cuts that they gave to the rich and there is already subsidised contraception available at family planning clinics the only real solution to poverty is education not vilification. Studies have proven that raising children is the equivalent of having 2 fulltime jobs.

This day is not only about dignity for all New Zealand families whether rich or poor it is also about the challenge to save ethics and humanity in New Zealand.

Thank You to all our supporters Waitemata Branch of Unite Union, Blockade the Budget, Auckland Action Against Poverty, Citizens Against Privatisation, The Maori Party, NZEI West Auckland , Unite Union, The Peoples Collective NZ, Stand Up (Sydney), DPB Action Group, The Green Party, The Mana Party

The Peoples Collective NZ

ends

© Scoop Media