So now we learn the Government is buying its tax cuts by cutting funding for food banks. Taking food off poor people so rich people can get more money back from the Government. To do what?

Donate to charities? Or just store it up in a term deposit account. Along with the other $294 billion in savings accounts and term deposit accounts in banks in April 2024, up from $244 billion in February 2020.

Here’s Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson:

Since the onset of COVID, the Mission and other agencies had received support for food, although at a declining rate since 2020.

Now the Mission, and other social agencies, face the prospect of significantly reduced food services resulting in many individuals and families not getting the nourishment they need or deserve. “Without the support of government, at the Mission we will have to drastically reduce the amount of food we can give families in need from 50,000 food parcels to 20,000 food parcels annually. That is a reduction of over 50% from 1 July of this year,” says Robinson.

“This lack of appropriate Government investment will result in immediate hardship for families already struggling in tough times. We are facing the dire reality of providing 27,000 fewer meals every week for parents and children who will not have enough food to stay physically and mentally well, not enough to go to school or to work, not enough to contribute well to society. It’s a deeply upsetting and concerning prospect.”