Having just returned from a business trip to Vietnam, and having been bombarded by Jacinda and the Greens in the build up to the election, I was motivated to consider the matter of Child Poverty. The World Health Organisation’s definition is: Poverty is associated with the undermining of a range of key human attributes, including health. ... Poverty is often defined in absolute terms of low income – less than US$2 a day, for example. But in reality, the consequences of poverty exist on a relative scale So, based on these measures, accepting that other than in very rare exceptions, Children in New Zealand live in homes, and where deemed appropriate, receive via their caregivers, funding sufficient to provide for their needs. So, well outside the bounds of this definition – so where are the 300-400,000 children in poverty we’re told we have in our society. Life is full of choices, whether to drink, to smoke, to place bets on the TAB or the pokies, to do drugs, or to buy mag wheels on tick for the Bongo wagon are all each of us, regardless of race, “social standing”, or wealth face, choices, as is the dilemma of whether to feed our children or pay tithes to a church, to remit money to family overseas – whatever. As a society most of us would shudder at the concept of not helping those in need – the philosophical question being whether there should be any expectations in return? From what I can ascertain, the Left insist that beneficiaries remain unaccountable, preferring instead to consider that any shortfall be treated as an additional problem rather than part and parcel of the root cause. Families receive benefits yet send kids to school hungry… We’re all in agreement that kids do suffer as a consequence of the decisions of their parents – perhaps more often than not, the single parent. It is unfortunate that the Co-Leader of a major political party proved such a terrible role model, a liar and a fraudster condoning breaking the law, stealing from those taxpayers whose sweat and largesse provide the safety net the poor can rely on. Maori politician and leader, Sir Āpirana Ngata (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80pirana_Ngata) is immortalised on our $50 note, but is also famous for raising the issue of creating dependence through social welfare on Maoridom – prophetic. Paying people to have children comes with real issues, particularly as many children in single parent environments suffer through a lack of a “proper father figure” – sad but true. Unfortunately the “Lowest common denominator” keeps getting lowered, and with it our expectations – young people, especially young Maori pay an incredibly high price reflected in lack of education, poor employment prospects and in incarnation rates – all too often ingrained in 2nd and third generations. The answers do actually seem fairly simple…. Comments are closed.
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Don MalcolmA perfect day involves being on my Harley with a long ride ahead.
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