Short-sighted policy changes, taking with one hand while giving with the other, may leave vulnerable groups short-changed in this year’s Budget, says Catholic social justice agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand. Caritas Director Julianne Hickey says the Catholic agency assesses the impact of Budget measures through the lens of the common good: what will contribute to Read more
Is it oppression or liberation? Eugenics or social responsibility? The New Zealand Government’s proposal to make free long term reversible contraception available to beneficiaries and their daughters has created a tidal wave of comment and has seen groups that do not normally see eye to eye agreeing with each other. In its submission to the Read more
The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee last week received submissions on the Mixed Ownership Bill. The Bill passed its first reading on 8 March and if it proceeds will allow the partial sale of the four state owned power companies. Caritas Director Julianne Hickey made an oral submission to the Select Committee last week. Caritas Read more
Children are being endangered by the speed of welfare reform – just as children are put at risk by excessive speed on our roads. In a written submission Caritas says the speed of consideration was unreasonable and unrealistic. Only 11 working days were provided between the first reading of the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Read more
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has launched a Special Appeal and pledged NZ$50,000 towards averting severe hunger and deaths in the Sahel region of West Africa. ‘An estimated 13 million people are in grave danger,’ says Caritas Director Julianne Hickey. ‘This has been brought on by severe drought, poor harvests, and rising food prices – made Read more