Govt ignoring ills—Young

Press, 27 July 1988, Page 9

Govt ignoring ills—Young

By

CHRISTOPHER MOORE

The Opposition spokesman on social welfare, Mr Venn Young, yesterday claimed that the Government had turned its back on the nation’s social problems. Mr Young was among a party of Opposition members of Parliament who visited Christchurch yesterday for talks with local social welfare and community groups. Members of the six-member team visited the police kiosk in Cathedral Square, the Youth Centre, and the Foundation for the Blind before flying to the West Coast for. further discussions with local community leaders and mining

interests. “In 1972, Norman Kirk said that New Zealanders

and the Labour Party were facing the Treasury. Today,, a Labour Government is standing with its back to the people,” Mr Young said.

“We have a Government which has been hijacked by the New Zealand Treasury.” He described unemployment as the central cause of the majority of social problems. “Unemployment is causing social strife in this country. The Government has forgotten that social and economic policies cannot be separated,” he said.

Mr Young said his meeting with officers of the Foundation for the Blind underlined concern about the pressures facing voluntary welfare agen-

cies throughout New Zealand.

“The Government does not seem to recognise the value, of the voluntary sector to the community. The proposal to tax the income of charitable trusts and remove tax concessions from public donations shows its insensitivity.” If the tax proposals were implemented, the foundation faced additional estimated costs of $1.5 million. The only options would be to charge the blind for services or reduce levels of assistance.

The Government’s lack of support for voluntary agencies was “a kick in the teeth” at a time when there were increasing demands on their services.