MEDIA RELEASE

July 11, 2014

Internet MANA Backs City Mission Report on Poverty

Internet MANA leader Hone Harawira today welcomed the release of an Auckland City Mission report on a year-long project which asked families living in poverty what problems were keeping them in poverty and how those problems could be fixed.

“It’s great report. Low-income families identified eight problems keeping them trapped in poverty and came up with their own simple and sensible solutions,” said Harawira.

“Internet MANA will push hard on every one of these solutions in the next government. These people aren’t the lazy bludgers Social Development Minister Paula Bennett would have us believe they are. These are ordinary people just asking for a fair deal.

“They’ve come up with common sense solutions most of which are already part of our policy, like feeding the kids in schools and restoring the Training Incentive Allowance to allow solo parents to study – just like Paula Bennett did when she was a solo mother.”

The eight problems and family solutions are:

• Crippling debt: The families suggest a crackdown on loan sharks with a cap on interest rates and low interest loans.

• Employment problems from criminal convictions: The families suggest more information about applying for a clean slate and “humanising” prison visiting areas so offenders can talk and play with their children.

• Poor housing: The families suggest regulating standards for both state and private rentals.

• Employment: The families suggest raising the minimum wage and closer monitoring of casual work contracts to give them more security.

• Health: The families suggest free healthcare and subsidised dental care for low-income families.

• Food: The families suggest providing lunches for all children at all decile one and two schools.

• Social Services: The families seek more personalised services and systems that keep their stories on file so they don't have to keep repeating them.

• Education: The families suggest restoring the training incentive allowance, which was axed in 2009, and requiring course providers to guarantee jobs at the end of each course.

“Congratulations to Auckland City Mission for this great initiative,” said Harawira. “It’s a big challenge but Internet MANA is up for it – what about other political parties?”

ENDS

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