No Right Turn has a go at Labour, but I’m more interested in this statement.
Last election, the Labour party did a good thing. After years of denying that its discriminatory Working For Families “in-work” payment denied assistance to those who needed it most, they listened to the evidence, and agreed to (slowly) universalise it in order to eliminate child poverty.
Got that? The in-work payment will eliminate child poverty.
Now, if you’ve got a family income of less than $36,350 a year (pretty sure the dole is more than that) and 4 kids you get $286/wk from Working for Families. (data here)
That means your income has gone by $14,872 a year to $51,222. About 30% of your income is now from Working for Families.
The IWTC brings you up to $55,122 – $3,900 more.
Which means that your income is now:
- 66% your original income
- 27% WFF Tax Credit
- 7% IWTC
Now, I grant you that that $75 a week is something. It’ll certainly help people.
But will a payment of $75 really eliminate child poverty, when a payment of $286 didn’t?
What makes $75 the magic figure I wonder? What is it about that last $75 that is so important that without it, we have children dying in the streets, while with it we have eternal bliss?
Who knew it was so hard?
Something should go here, maybe later. 