Income
Incomes Policy
Executive Summary
We have an economy and social security system that is broken, and that have never worked for Māori. No one should suffer the injustices of poverty, inequality, and a lack of life opportunities.
Everyone should enough income to live dignified, and meaningful lives. Lifting whānau out of poverty is impossible if they do not have adequate incomes to survive with an ever-increasing cost of living.
The Māori Party will;
1. Immediately raise the minimum wage to $25 per hour and legislate for an annual increase to keep up with cost of living increases
2. Guarantee pay equity for Māori nurses and teachers
3. Double baseline benefit levels
4. Individualise benefits
5. Remove financial penalties, sanctions, and work-test obligations
6. Cancel income support related debt and ensure that additional grants do not need to be paid back in future
7. Raise abatement rates for benefits and student allowances
8. Create a universal student allowance and double student allowance rates
9. Introduce free public transport for students at all levels
10. Write off the living cost component of all student loans and work towards writing off the total student loan for those who work in Aotearoa for a period of five years