Today’s child poverty figures, revealing that nearly 150,000 children are living in material hardship in New Zealand, show the need for tax relief says the Taxpayers’ Union.

Responding to the figures, Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “It is disturbing that the current tax burden on low income families means that even kids with parents in full time work are experiencing poverty. That is shameful.”

“Many measures being introduced by this government such as higher fuel taxes, higher taxes on cigarettes, higher waste levies on garbage, and hiked rates bills across the country, have a disproportionate effect on the poor.”

“You can’t kneecap family budget with new and higher taxes, and expect poverty figures to improve. Tax relief is needed, and for tens of thousands of families, needed right now.”

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