Labour, in 1984, with Richard Prebble and Roger Douglas, promised that if we adopted their prescription we would have a “Brighter Future”.
Ruth Richardson in the 90’s promised a “Brighter Future”.
Again in 2014 John Key’s National promises a “Brighter Future”.
A “Brighter Future”.
For whom?
For those who were made “redundant” by “economic reforms” in the 80’s and still have a large mortgage, or no house, on retirement, as they struggled to re-educate themselves for another job to keep their family fed, or to fund starting a business so they could survive? Who are now finding they have to also support their adult children.
For those who work an uncertain number of hours a week, for a minimum wage that costs the employer less than keeping a slave?
For those young people, often well qualified and willing to work hard, who cannot leave their parents’ home as their zero hours job, or unpaid “internship”/”work experience”, leaves them unable to rent, or buy, housing?
For those who spent years learning a skilled job, to find that their wages are dropping much faster than prices?
The shopkeepers and small businesses, who are closing, and the owners joining the “jobseekers”, because their customers do not have enough money. What money there is, is constantly taken out of the region by “big box” stores.
The many employees who are expected to be available at short notice for a job, so they cannot build up a portfolio of part time jobs, or expect a consistent income.
For the young Woman who is now on her third job. The first didn’t have enough hours to pay for food, and a flat, so she had to quit. The second the boss, and some other staff, were bullying and abusive. WINZ still gave her a 13 week stand down after both jobs. They are still sending “jobseekers” to the bullying employer.
The third. She was sacked on the 89th Day when the WINZ subsidy stopped, so the business could get another employee with a WINZ subsidy.
The mentally ill young man who is now a “jobseeker”. The stress of visiting WINZ offices, courses and looking for work has him agitated for days. One day he was so upset he got angry in the WINZ office. He is now banned, but he has to visit the office to get any welfare. He has spent years couch surfing.
The teenager who went looking for an apprenticeship, to find the positions were all filled, by already trained, recent immigrants.
The young man who went to Auckland for a job after three years of looking. To find he couldn’t pay for transport to work, food and rent.
Another young man who is laughably called a “contractor”. He gets minimum wage, plus $3 a delivery, in his own car. He lives in fear of his car getting caught without the warrant and registration, he cannot afford, because then he would have no job.
The young woman with severe depression and a child. Her partner left her when she became pregnant. She is wondering how she will be able to work, and and look after herself, and her child, when she has to look for work. Mental health services in Northland are so overloaded, and underfunded, she has to wait weeks, or months, for an appointment.
In the Northland region!
The “Brighter Future”.
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