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Greens pledge higher benefit payments, Credit for low income earners

Author
Gia Garrick,
Publish Date
Sun, 16 Jul 2017, 7:18AM
Co-leader Metiria Turei she came clean in a speech to party faithful today, while announcing a policy that'll see a complete culture change in how Government dishes out support. (Getty Images)
Co-leader Metiria Turei she came clean in a speech to party faithful today, while announcing a policy that'll see a complete culture change in how Government dishes out support. (Getty Images)

Greens pledge higher benefit payments, Credit for low income earners

Author
Gia Garrick,
Publish Date
Sun, 16 Jul 2017, 7:18AM

UPDATED 3.59PM: Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei has admitted to lying about how many people she lived with, so her benefit wouldn't be cut when she was a solo mum.

She came clean in a speech to party faithful today, while announcing a policy that'll see a complete culture change in how Government dishes out support.

The Greens' families package will see all core benefits raised by 20 percent, and remove all financial penalties and sanctions for beneficiaries.

Turei used her own experience to colour how her party will support single parents – in not cutting their benefits for seeking a stable relationship.

 Turei made it very clear that under a Green government, people would no longer feel threatened by Work and Income.

"Under this [National] government sole parents, most of whom are women, are forced to reveal the most intimate details of their lives - who she's sleeping with, any how many times a week - all under the threat of losing the money that she and her kids rely on to pay the rent."

And a big change under Working for Families, the In Work Tax Credit will become a Children’s Credit, giving all low income families an extra $72 a week.

It also won’t discriminate against those failing to find work, and be available to all mums and dads with children.

The Greens would also introduces a new top tax rate of 40 percent for those earning over $150,000.

ACT leader David Seymour has called the policy announcements "communism by stealth" and urged National to rule out working with the Greens after the election.

Seymour believes the Greens had embraced envy politics and endorsed dependency.

MORE: Greens co-leader James Shaw takes your calls

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