The 'solutions' to child poverty - and its so-called manifestations like abuse - will cost around $1.5 - 2 billion by the Children's Commissioner calculations.
Where could that kind of money come from?
Raising the Super age to 67.
So says Children's Doctors Patrick Kelly:
"My personal view, and this is my personal view and not the view of the Paediatric Society, is that I would raise the age at which people get national super, because life expectancy has changed hugely since about 1905 when national super was introduced and there are many healthy, active people in their late sixties who ... do not need financial support from the Government.1898 actually.
I support raising the Super age for the same reason expressed here. But I do not support a massive transfer of the money saved into potty ideas like a universal child benefit, state-funded school lunches, and paying the IWTC to beneficiary parents. That isn't going to stop abuse and neglect. That will only reduce when we stop paying people to have babies they don't want and can't care for.
NZ could use the saved money to pay down some debt and in other ways that would help the economy.
Kelly continues:
"If those who are middle-aged now want to be supported in their old age, they will be voting for a Government that spends money on the children of today."Not me. That's exactly the government I won't be voting for. The last thing NZ needs to do is grow the welfare state.
5 comments:
Strange isn't it that those who advocate raising the age for superannuation, are usually highly paid professionals in the prime of their working lives. Has any study been made on the availability of jobs for those between 60 and 67?
Old Gunner, Wouldn't working to 67 or 68 largely be a matter of people continuing on in the jobs or self-employment they'd been doing?
The official unemployment measure (HLFS) shows decreasing unemployment rates as people age. The unemployment rate for people aged 55-64 is 3.6 percent whereas the general unemployment rate is 6.8 percent.
I advocate for a raise in the Super eligibility age and I'm not highly paid, professional or in the prime of my working life. But I am mindful of the taxes my children will have to pay for the growing aged population.
Here's a better idea - cut super, and cut the dole & dpb too! While we're at it, cut health, education, & the rest of welfare.
geez, that wasn't so hard, was it?
Perhaps a better idea would be for the govt. to just stop wasting the money they already get.Making stupid tv shows like the stupid "ridges"would be a great start.
Introduce your children to Maddie and Matt and let them be familiar with the proper ways of conversing the environment too. Not only you're reducing the idea of famine, but you're also helping in nurturing the environment. Healthy nature = More food!
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