The MANA Plan for Beneficiaries and Income in Waiariki
Posted on September 17, 2014 by admin in Annette Sykes, Press ReleasesMedian Personal Income for Waiariki is $21,700. Over 13,000 Maori who live in Waiariki rely upon a form of government benefit including the Unemployment Benefit, Sickness Benefit, Domestic Purpose Benefit and the Invalids Benefit.
“If you’re lucky enough to have a job living in Waiariki, with 13,000 of our people on some form of benefit, chances are you‘ll only take home a little over $20k. Employment opportunities that pay well in Waiariki are few and far between and our people are in dire need of having some hope on the horizon”, said MANA Movement Candidate for Waiariki, Annette Sykes.
“I’m here to say to our people that hope is on the way and that the MANA Movement have solutions that will work. The MANA Movement has a zero unemployment policy; that means that those who are able to work, will. The MANA Movement is committed to develop jobs in food production, public transport, energy generation and biofuels, IT, creative arts and design, the teaching of te reo Maori, building 10,000 state homes a year, education, the health system, retirement villages and community organisations. The need for employment in these areas is generated by the social needs of our people, rather than the greed that motivates big businesses to generate as many zeros as they can on their bank balance. That’s how we know we can create enough jobs for people able to work.”
“Our view on the current minimum wage of $13.75 an hour is that it is a wage that keeps people in poverty. We want it increased to what experts agree is a wage that people can live on, $18.80 per hour. If that was the case then those who are paid that hourly rate would take home just over $39k. That’s over double the median personal income for Waiariki Maori and a wage that would enable people to pay the bills and live life, rather than incurring debt and living in poverty.”
“These are only two policies of a number that focus on eliminating poverty, that target specifically unemployment and poor wages. A vote for Annette Sykes and a vote for the MANA Movement is a vote for full employment and a living wage.”
Steve D says:
Post Author September 17, 2014 at 10:04 pmI just saw the story on 3 degrees. Will your party founder do the right thing by his former employees who are now beneficiaries and who were getting about $5 an hour?
They cannot find employment because your party founder will not give them a signature – will he do right by them?
Annette – how do you feel about your party founder treating poor people like this?
Benjamin Terry says:
Post Author September 20, 2014 at 2:32 pmWhy is it, that increasing the benefit is the solution to solving poverty? you want to increase the benefit, tax the workers even more and ruin the businesses who can hardly afford to pay the $13.75 as it is.. do you not think that this could ruin a lot of people and businesses who already struggle to make ends meet to keep the place running? Would it not slow economic growth down? why would I bring an overseas company to NZ when I can get a better deal else where. The poverty you speak of, is a poverty of the mind. Poverty is looking at the lack of, yet no one is willing to look at what they do have.. they have free income on the expense of the workers, which every single beneficiaries should be great full for. My tax isn’t there to let them sit comfy, its there to give them a helping hand and to move forward.