Community Services Card Debacle Shows Need For A Family Focus
Another example of family needs being ignored is the present controversy surrounding the Community Services Card
healthcare access, says United Future leader Hon Peter Dunne.
Cabinet announced on Monday the income threshold for the card for beneficairies and superanuitants will be raised, but
not for nearly 50,000 wage and salary earners on the same income level.
"This makes a mockery of all fairness by penalising working low income Kiwis. Of more concern the announced changes are
predominantly anti-family because they penalise families who are low-income earners, for no other reason than the
Government wants to save a small amount of money.
"This mean-spirited decision will impact on families' access to health care which will lead to unnecessary resentment
and potentially greater health bills down the line if medical assistance isn't sought in the first place," says Mr
Dunne.
He says decisions like this highlight the Government's piecemeal approach to policy.
"United Future is calling for a Commission for the Family, to ensure policy decisions recognise and embrace the family
as the building block of our society.
"Families are the cornerstone of our society and they deserve better recognition than they are getting from the
Government. Only when they do can we move forward with common-sense, integrated social and economic policy," says Mr
Dunne.
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