OPINION

Wealth doesn’t trickle down … but prosperity and decency do bubble up.

The point of who we are as a government is our conviction that the best way to get this country ahead is to ensure the bread-and-butter support for the little guy.

With the high cost of living driven by factors like the war in Ukraine and the recent extreme weather, it’s tough for many Whangārei families. There’s no easy fix, but we’re delivering a range of measures to help ease the pressure. The April 1 changes are part of this work, giving families, caregivers, seniors, and students – among others – an income boost.

We’re increasing Working for Families and the Best Start payment to better support whānau. We know childcare is a major expense so we’re expanding childcare assistance income thresholds to make it more affordable for middle and low-income families. On top of that, main benefits will increase by the rate of inflation, meaning a family on a benefit with children will receive an extra $40.86 a week and a sole parent will receive an extra $31.83 a week.

Families are not the only ones to receive a boost. Tertiary students on student allowance or student loan living cost payments will see about $20 extra each payment. Thanks to our minimum wage boost, from April onwards fulltime minimum-wage workers, too, will earn an extra $60 a week.

Seniors also benefit, so single people on superannuation will receive an extra $66.86 each payment and couples both over 65 will receive $102.84 more in total a fortnight. In addition, from May 1, the Winter Energy Payment will kick in again, to assist more than a million New Zealanders with winter heating bills.

While these measures won’t fix everything, and we still have more work to do to bring down inflation and the cost of living, they will make a difference for many in Whangārei at a time when every bit counts.

We’re focused on the bread-and-butter issues that matter most to New Zealanders, and we will continue working hard to grow wages and to support families here in Whangārei to get ahead.

If you would like some help or to talk about what we’re doing, feel free to call, email or drop by the office at 66A Bank St, or call in at one of my constituency clinics. I have a drop-in clinic at the weekend markets in Tikipunga and Onerahi every month, and my team and I will be out holding clinics in local neighbourhoods during the week too. Keep an eye on Facebook for times and places.

We know wealth doesn’t trickle down, but it does bubble up: when low and middle-income New Zealanders are okay, everyone in our economy does better.