The Green Party is welcoming the modest support for families announced by the Labour Government but calling for more urgent action to ease the pressure on households.
“It’s good to see the Government taking action to make childcare more affordable for families, taking some pressure off household costs,” said Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson.
“Boosting investment in community and public services to make people's lives better is the right way for the Government to address the rising cost of living, not gifting high income earners tax cuts like National is proposing.
“Childcare has been undervalued by successive Governments so we welcome this step to undo some of the damage done by National when they froze childcare support over a decade ago.
“As many families struggle to afford the basics, now would also be the perfect time for the Government to extend 20 hours of early childhood education to two year olds.
“All tamariki deserve the best start in life, and that means we need further action to raise incomes and invest in better access to early childhood education,” Marama Davidson said.
“The Government’s inflation adjustments to Working for Families will help many people a little bit, but Working for Families tax credits still aren’t available to many of the families who need our support the most,” Green Party social development & employment spokesperson Ricardo Menéndez March said.
“Simplifying Working for Families to create one universal family support credit and making the best start tax credit universal for all tamariki up to age three, would be transformational for families facing impossible choices about whether to pay the rent or the power bill.
“National’s proposed tax cuts for the rich would just add to the inflation that’s causing household costs to rise, whereas expanding income support to our lowest income families would make a real difference for those feeling the pinch.
“The truth is that a small number of large corporations and very wealthy people are doing very well out of the post-pandemic economic conditions, and the Government should pick up the Greens’ excess profit tax proposal to rebalance our economy,” said Ricardo Menéndez March.
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