May 29, 2013
Weetbix plan tough on poor teeth
Mana leader Hone Harawira is describing the Government’s Weetbix in schools programme as a kick in the teeth for efforts to eliminate child poverty.
The plan to subsidise and extend an existing private programme to provide breakfast in low decile schools looks set to stymie Mr Harawira’s feed the kids bill, which envisaged a greater level of state support.
It was also the centrepiece of the Government’s formal response to the Child Poverty Expert Advisory Panel report, which critics said ignored most of the panel’s recommendations.
Mr Harawira says it’s government for the one percent, as can be seen by asset sell-offs and the bail out of finance companies.
"On the scale of things in what they've done for the one percent in this country, to give $1.9 million a year to eliminate child poverty when we've got 270,000 kids living below the poverty line, it's a kick in the teeth," he says.
He was also disappointed the Māori Party claimed credit for the Government’s Weetbix plan, when it fell so far short of what was needed.
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