Labour’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime.
Photo: VNP / Phil Smith
The Labour Party says the Government’s changes to Temporary Additional Support will strip vulnerable households of a “last resort” during a cost-of-living crisis.
The party’s Social Development and Employment spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime said the changes amounted to a quiet but significant cut to a vital safety net.
She warned that many low income households depended on the payment to bridge gaps when basic expenses become unmanageable.
”Many families are relying on this to be able to access food, to be able to go to the doctor, to be able to buy their prescriptions, to be able to clothe themselves.”
Prime criticised the government for what she described as a lack of transparency around the policy shift, saying it was buried within wider welfare changes.
She said the move could save the government up to $200 million over four years but would directly affect thousands of vulnerable families.
Prime argued the decision reflected misplaced priorities at a time when many New Zealanders were struggling with rising living costs.
”These families are our most vulnerable families who need the most support,” she said.
”Yet they are prioritising tax breaks for landlords, for tobacco companies, for oil and gas exploration.”
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