Nasty cuts to Kiwisaver show young New Zealanders are fair game

Government moves to axe the $1000 Kiwisaver kick-start show that the Government has abandoned young New Zealanders, the Green Party says.

“By axing the $1000 Kiwisaver kick-start the Government is denying young New Zealanders the same opportunity to get ahead that other generations have had,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said.

“Clearly young New Zealanders are fair game for the National Government. Rather than helping young Kiwis just starting out, it has abandoned them.

“There is nothing in the budget to help young Kiwis who are locked out of the housing market, struggling with student debt, who are trapped in under-employment or whose wages are flat lining.

“Young Kiwis may not have expected to come out ahead after today’s budget, but few of them would have expected to be robbed of the Kiwsaver kick-start other generations got.

“Axing the kick-start payment was a nasty move, designed to save money by taking it from younger Kiwis.

“John Key seems to have forgotten today that unless the economy is working for everyone, it is not working.

“Rather than cutting access to Kiwisaver contributions, the Green Party would have increased access to them, by giving every newborn a $1000 Kids KIiwisaver kickstart.

“We’d match parental contributions up to a maximum of $200 for those who can afford to make them, and provide state contributions to those kids below the poverty line.

“The Green Party’s plan would see young Kiwis reach the age of 18 with nearly $13,000. Under the Government’s new plan those young Kiwis will have nothing,” Mrs Turei said.

ENDS

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