The ‘user pays’ mantra of neo-liberal economics has created demands on family incomes that have put undue pressure on lower income families and the once-thriving middle class. More shamefully, a quarter of New Zealand children have been forced into poverty. It is a priority of a Social Credit government to remove these demands, and allow families access to a full range of social services without further eroding incomes.

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To address these issues Social Credit will:

 

• Ensure every New Zealand citizen has an adequate living income

• Progressively replace all current benefits with an adequate living income regardless of employment, marital, or gender status. The existing Winter Heating, Best Start, Accommodation Supplement, and Temporary Hardship and Disability allowances will be maintained until the proposed changes are bedded in and the need for these can be assessed.

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• Retain supplements for the disabled, their carers, and housing

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There still exists an income universal to people over 65, which is a rightful return on the investment they have made to the nation in the past, and allows equality, inclusion and participation.

 

The success story of this income is evident in the many active and valuable ‘post-employed’ who contribute the equivalent of billions of dollars to the nation’s economy every year through extensive and essential volunteer work. Their contribution is also evident through GST on the prices they pay for the necessities of life.

 

Wealthier retirees also donate extensively to charities, and all retirees continue to pay income tax.

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There are other sections of the community who are in obvious need of an adequate living income: students, caregivers of children and family members, disabled or unemployed people, the "working poor", and children whose incomes would go to their guardians or caregivers on their behalf.