Tax the rich to fund welfare

A welfare dependent person probably thinks everybody who works for their living is rich. Being rich is a relative term and anyone on an income higher than the work and income payments is probably not rich.? Quote.

Paraha was one of about 80 people who went along to share their views at a public consultation in M?ngere, south Auckland, hosted by the Government’s welfare expert advisory group.? End of quote.

South Auckland woman Kathleen Paraha was among the people who went along to the Government’s welfare expert advisory group public consultation in M?ngere East today. Image credit Chris Harrowell

Paraha holds a placard demanding the removal of all constraints to welfare and signs off with ?tax the rich, fund welfare.? This was aimed at the government’s welfare expert advisory group who are travelling the country meeting with beneficiaries.

The advisory group should meet with taxpayers who have every right to say where their tax money is spent. Quote.

After Kathleen Paraha pays her rent and bills there’s not much money left over to buy food.

The 60-year-old, who lives in Papatoetoe, south Auckland, receives a supported living benefit that provides her with a weekly income of less than $150, she says.

“There’s nothing left for luxuries. I can’t even buy a bar of chocolate.? End of quote.

Newsflash: chocolate is not actually food, well not nutritious food anyway, and Paraha is much better off without it.

Her demanding attitude is outrageous. Quote.

Among the audience also was fellow Papatoetoe local Frederick Andrews, who receives the jobseeker support benefit and is an advocate for the group Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP).

He says benefits don’t provide a high enough income and “it’s a struggle” to survive on one.

“Get us above the poverty line by increasing the benefit,” Andrews told Stuff.

“We provide an advocacy service at the Manurewa Work and Income [branch] and 85 per cent of the people we help are M?ori.End of quote.

How much money has been paid out to Maori by the Waitangi Tribunal?? Why are they still poor?

There was an organised drive to make sure the government’s welfare advisory group heard one side of the argument only.? Quote.

AAAP co-ordinator Ricardo Menendez March says the organisation helped beneficiaries get along to the public consultation in M?ngere East to make sure their voices are being heard. End of quote.

Did anybody help taxpayers get along to this public meeting? Did anyone even know there was one?? Taxpayers were probably hard at work making a living and paying taxes to support welfare dependents.