This government targeted child welfare right from the get go. Ardern campaigned on fixing child “poverdy” saying “ let’s do this” and introducing a families package effective from 1 July 2018 that promised families would be better off.
“By 2020/21, approximately 385,000 families with dependent children will be better off by an average of $75 more per week relative to the status quo (i.e., without Budget 2017 changes).”
Government Fact Sheet Families Package
One year later and families are sending their children to school hungry despite the additional money received. The government is rolling out further assistance.
“Thousands of Year 1-8 students will be offered a free and healthy lunch in a new programme to be in schools in Term 1, 2020.
The $45 million programme kicks off in around 30 schools in the Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay in Term 1 2020 before rolling out to other schools.
Up to 21,000 students in around 120 schools will be eligible for a free lunch by the beginning of 2021. A decision will be made after this about whether to continue or extend the programme.”
Education Department
Breakfast is being provided to school children since 2009 through the Kickstart Breakfast programme co-funded by the government with food supplied by Fonterra and Sanitarium.
“Uptake is highest among primary schools and kura. Maori and Pacific children make up the majority of students aged under 13 in the schools and kura receiving KickStart.”
Ministry of Social Development Report
So, why are children still going to school hungry despite receiving breakfast and extra money through the families package effective over a year ago?
“Is this an acknowledgement that the cost of living for some New Zealanders is now so high that they can’t feed their children? Rents up $50 a week, petrol taxes up. Food costs up.”
Judith Collins Tweet
Judith Collins is right on the money. This government has the unfortunate knack of passing idealistic legislation that disregards the knock-on effect for the poor. Rent, food, clothing and transport costs have all risen over the last year and the poor feel it the most.
Initially, private housing investors left the market at the first threat of a capital gains tax. More left this year when their properties proved too expensive to upgrade to comply with the new healthy homes legislation (legislation that came with a nice financial kickback for tenants happy to dob in their non-compliant landlords). As if that wasn’t enough, Phil Twyford is threatening more draconian legislation designed to scare away the remaining stalwarts.
“The Government is proposing a suite of rental law changes, including a limit on rent increases, an end to no-cause terminations, and a ban on so-called “rent bidding”.
Stuff
This government’s disincentives for private investors to invest in the rental housing market has sent them elsewhere. The non-healthy-homes-compliant houses have not necessarily been upgraded, they have simply been removed from the private rental market housing pool, and when the pool of private rental housing decreases, rents increase.
Introducing petrol taxes did not reduce the number of vehicles on the roads but it did drive up transport costs, which are passed on to the consumer in the form of higher food and living costs. Congestion adds to transport costs when trucks are gridlocked on roads doomed to remain overloaded because this government scrapped planned new highways.
Poor families are going backwards. When this lunch trial ends in two years we may be feeding every child in school breakfast and lunch five days a week regardless of whether they need it or not. Free food also means wasted food, which is wasted money – our money being badly spent.
The heavy-handed approach the CoL takes to problem-solving has backfired. There would be no need for free lunches if the government had not pummeled the private rental housing market, dumped fuel taxes on us and halted planned roading developments. Living costs would not have increased and poor families could afford to feed their families.