Green Party hui addresses NZ's inequality

Damon Rusden, Chris Perley and Maramara Davidson spoke at a Green Party community hui about inequality in Hastings yesterday. Photo / Paul Taylor.

By OECD rankings New Zealand has had one of the greatest increases in inequality in recent years, and will catch up to the United States in this regard if things don't change, says Green Party MP Marama Davidson.

The party's third list MP, and spokesperson for social housing, Maori development, human rights and Pacific peoples, was in Hawke's Bay yesterday to present at two party-organised community hui on the issue of inequality in New Zealand.

At Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere, she was joined by Tukituki Green candidate Chris Perley and Napier Green candidate Damon Rusden, and addressed the decline in housing, wages, and union strength in New Zealand that had led to the growing gap between rich and poor.

Currently the wealthiest 20 per cent of New Zealand households held 70 per cent of the country's wealth, while the bottom 40 per cent of households owned three per cent of that wealth, she said.

This situation began to develop in the 1980s and 1990s.

"That's where it went sour - they started selling off State Owned Enterprises and started their attack on the 'undeserving' poor, slashing benefits and becoming punitive - that's when poverty and inequality started increasing, through deliberate policy changes and approaches."

Since then people had become more disconnected from each other and their communities, and people had been taught that those with more wealth had higher status, she said.

"We can change this if we have the political will, at the same time as upholding politics of love, compassion and collective care.

"This government has tinkered around the edges to make it seem like they are doing something."

She said housing played a major role in inequality in New Zealand, with more than half the population renting and homelessness, including any situation of unstable or inadequate housing, at the highest level it had ever been.

Instead of selling its state houses and crown land to "profit-driven developers", she said the government was in the position and had the capacity to provide housing through a building programme that included partnering with community groups, aided by a strong government commitment.

Policies on restricted rent rises and rent to buy options were also worth consideration, she said.

Workers rights were another example of equality erosion, and she called for higher taxes for the "top band" of earners, as well as a living wage for all.

"We have to insist on a living wage ... people have been coming to me at meetings and saying they are happy to pay more tax, but it needs the legislative changes to make this happen - these are tangible solutions."

Speaking to a small gathering at the Flaxmere meeting at 3pm yesterday, which was followed up by another in Napier at 5.30pm, she said the conversation needed to extend further.

"We talk about inequality and solutions but that means nothing if you do not go out and talk to the people who do not turn up to public meetings."