“Our benefit system is having to be tweaked and augmented to get us through this crisis, but once we have landed in the
new normal we will still be living in unequal communities.”
That from the President of the National Council of Women New Zealand, Lisa Lawrence who believes that we need to tip the
table and start afresh.
The idea of a Universal Basic Income has been discussed for decades and is right now being considered as a necessary
safety net for citizens of our virus affected present. Finance Minister Grant Robertson told Morning Report a universal
basic income was one of the options being considered to help people who lose their jobs or face uncertainty. More people
than ever are in that situation.
The government is offering wage subsidies and support to businesses as well as bracing for the highest numbers applying
for unemployment benefits since the Great Depression.
NCWNZ has released a position paper and notes that many of us are anxious about our livelihoods, and the livelihoods of
those around us. The physical isolation in conjunction with varying work arrangements has meant that we are in a state
of flux. A Universal Basic Income could also meet the needs of future New Zealanders seeking a more equal and secure
life whilst Aotearoa is coming to terms with climate change, increasing automation and other changes to how we arrange
our lives, our families and our economy.
There are a plethora of reasons that this option makes sense and a range of economists are arguing that a Universal
Basic Income or the like, makes more sense now than ever. It deserves a careful and nuanced debate. We have put together
our position paper to support discussions for everyone.
Our opportunity to have a democratically applied safety net for all New Zealanders to prosper is here now, are we brave
enough to take it? Even if we’re not tipping the table, Universal Basic Income should be on it.
NCWNZ encourages people to consider the security and assurance a UBI will bring for all New Zealanders.