Time for action on income inequality

Advocacy group Closing the Gap, which focuses on promoting fairer distributions of incomes, is frustrated at the lack of action around addressing inequity in New Zealand.

“I feel like a broken record,” says Peter Malcolm, spokesperson for the group. “Report after report states that NZ has appalling child poverty figures. Just this week we learned from the Children’s Commissioner that almost a third of Kiwi kids are growing up in households considered below the poverty line. Far too many of these kids are without warm shelter, adequate clothing and access to fruit and vegetables.

“This week we also heard about multiple families having to live together, with some having up to 7 people in a 2 bedroom flat, thanks to New Zealand’s high property prices and expensive rentals, particularly in Auckland. It’s not hard to imagine how stressful that is. And, of course, it is not good for people’s health either.

“So here we are at the end of 2015 and the number of children in poverty has increased by 45,000, housing is unaffordable in many locations, and still the government is tinkering at the edges trying to address the problems caused by inequality.

“Those who have the power to make decisions about New Zealander’s lives need to take a good hard look at themselves as they eat, drink and enjoy themselves over the Christmas break.

Thousands of low-income families will simply be worried about putting food on the table and a roof over their kids’ heads.”

Malcolm encourages ordinary New Zealanders who like him are fed up with New Zealand’s poverty problem to take action.

“Whether you join your local Closing the Gap group, donate to charity or let your local MP know it’s not good enough, please join us in trying to get something done about income inequality in New Zealand,” says Malcolm.

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