'Please, Sir, can I have some more?'
The tragic story of half-starved Oliver Twist begging for gruel is not too far removed from some homes in downtown New Zealand said Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Mori Party.
“Every New Zealander should be shocked to learn that the NZCCSS has received reports indicating leaps in foodbank use from between 20% to 70% over this year, along with record demand for budgeting advice and other support” said Mrs Turia.
The Council of Christian Services has compared foodbank use in Hamilton, Dunedin and Invercargill in the three months ending December 2007 with the three months ending December 2004.
‘What this and other studies by CPAG and other groups continue to show us, is that food poverty is a recurring crisis for many thousands of New Zealanders” said Mrs Turia.
“People are being pushed to the point of desperation as the burden of housing costs, inadequate benefits, and rising prices in the basics such as milk, bread and petrol continue to hit home” said Mrs Turia.
“All the studies tell us that under the pressures of poverty, spending on food often becomes the most dispensable item in household budgets” said Mrs Turia.
“And what has Labour done? Their Minister of Mori Affairs told me in April that children were going to school hungry because they wanted to lose weight”.
“The NZCCSS report reveals that even after all the changes in economic activity, many beneficiaries and low-income workers are still going hungry”.
“The report showed around half of households supported through foodbanks include children and that despite Working for Families there are still people in paid employment who need foodbanks”.
“The Mori Party commends the NZCCSS for bringing these hard facts out - and also for their recognition of the generosity of New Zealanders who continue to demonstrate manaakitanga in supporting their neighbours”.
“But we are not living in a Dickensian society where poverty should be just accepted as part of life”.
“Income levels are too low. We must raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour as a start, we must provide support to all low income people no matter their source of income; and we must urgently intervene to support families who are living in such desperate states of deprivation” said Mrs Turia.