IHC approached all parties in Parliament and asked for their answers to six key questions in the lead up to the 2014 General Election. Anthony-Macilroy Anthony MacIlroy I can’t afford to eat healthy food and pay for transport. Will you increase my benefit? View Political Party Responses National PartyWork and Income works with people to identify the assistance they are eligible for based on their current circumstances and costs. In addition to the benefit they may be receiving, there is supplementary assistance available to help people meet their specific living costs. This includes Accommodation Supplement and Disability Allowance. Special Needs Grants are also available to meet one-off costs. Labour Party Labour agrees that it is difficult to live on the Supported Living Payment and will increase the level of payments on a regular basis to address cost of living increases. We will ensure that people who are entitled to the Disability Allowance will receive it and are dismayed to see that National has cut $5m from Disability Allowances in this year’s budget. green partyThe Green Party will set benefits at a level that will cover all basic needs including food, energy and housing. We will protect welfare levels to ensure that the main benefits cannot fall below a fixed percentage of the average wage. The Green Party will also ensure that supplementary assistance payments keep pace with the cost of living. nz-firstALL New Zealanders must have sufficient income to live a decent life. New Zealand First supports top-ups or emergency benefits for those who cannot meet the basic necessities of life. maori partyAs co-leader of the Māori Party, we have actively taken steps to reduce persistent income inequality to achieve health equity which provides more access to resources to help whānau grow and also purchase healthy kai, live in healthy home environments and lead healthier lives and the Māori Party remains committed to ensuring this continues. Enabling Good Lives is an example of a cross-agency approach that aims to better respond to the needs of disabled members of the community. It offers disabled persons greater control over the support they receive and the lives they lead and was an initiative Tariana initiated in her role as Minister of Disability Issues. Minister Turia has also supported choices for disabled persons and their families to be funded through individualised funding to choose their own life. The Disability Action Plan 2014–2018 has just been released and is an initiative between government agencies, representatives from Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) and the disabled community. The plan gives the disability community the opportunity to have a say on things that are important to them and working with agencies and DPOs. mana partyYes. MANA would start a new benefit for all people with disabilities including you. With this benefit you would be able to meet all of your living costs. And it wouldn’t be means-tested. united-futureWe support the current scheme of all benefits being tagged to cost of living calculations. We would be supportive of an extra amount being given to people with other circumstances such as you, subject to fiscal conditions.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 02:44:41 +0000
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