Budget ‘attempts to woo women’

Press, 29 July 1989, Page 3

Budget ‘attempts to woo women’

Wellington reporter The Budget attempted to woo the women’s vote with words, according to the member of Parliament for Ashburton, Mrs Jenny Shipley (Nat.). She said yesterday that paying Family Support to the principal care-giver was not a care-giver’s allowance. No extra funds had been provided to recognise the contribution the principal care-giver — more than 90 per cent of whom are women — gave to the economy. Mrs Shipley said women would lose out on the change to the national superannuation surtax. “White middle class males will benefit from the removal of 50 per cent surtax liability on private insurance scheme incomes,” she said. “It directly disadvantages women superannuitants who are much less likely to have contributed to a private scheme during their life time.” The Budget had failed to mention pay equity, yet the Government has pledged to introduce legislation before the next election. The Government should not assume New Zealand women were so gullible as to believe the Budget did anything for them, said Mrs Shipley. She acknowledged the $43 million boost for preschool education but said people should be suspicious about the promise to give all pre-school units equal funding by 1994.