The Green Party is today calling on the Government to double the maximum Civil Defence Payment for Aucklanders affected by flooding.

“Families have had their homes, and many of their possessions destroyed in the recent climate-fuelled flooding. As an immediate intervention, the Civil Defence Payment needs to urgently be doubled to reflect rising costs of essentials, and ensure families are back on their feet as soon as possible,” says Greens spokesperson for social development Ricardo Menéndez March.

“Currently, for a single person, the maximum Civil Defence Payment is $400 to cover food, and replace necessities that were left behind during evacuation. Big families with 3 or more children can only access $1,110, without considering that larger families may need more.

“Despite the Civil Defence payment being reviewed just last year, it is the same as it was on 15 July 2013. To put that into context, food prices have gone up 26% since 2013.

“The current support from this payment is insufficient to meet the needs of families who already were on low incomes, or have had their homes and possessions destroyed.

“We know that the impacts of climate change don’t impact everyone equally. People on low incomes are less resourced to cope with severe events such as floods.

“These are the households that are already being disproportionately impacted by inflation, struggling to pay bills and put food on the table.

“This is why as well as doubling payments in the interim, we need to increase benefits to liveable levels to ensure people are not being left behind as we tackle the climate crisis.” says Ricardo Menéndez March.

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