Thursday, 20 May 2021, 3:28 pm
Public Service Association members will celebrate
today’s Budget boosts for beneficiaries and low-paid
workers, and the announcement of new programmes to tackle
the housing crisis.
The government has committed to
raise weekly benefit rates between $32 and $55 per adult, by
April 1 2022 reaching or exceeding the recommendations of
2019’s Welfare Expert Advisory Group. PSA members
choose careers in agencies like the Ministry of Social
Development because they want to help people in need.
Shamefully low benefit levels caused unnecessary suffering
for thirty years, so we’re thrilled the government has
today promised to end that dark legacy, says union National
Thursday, 20 May 2021, 4:07 pm
The President of the Council of Trade Unions supports
Wellington bus drivers who have voted today to reject their
employers offer. NZ Bus thought it could get drivers
to agree to a buy out of their terms and conditions through
a lump sum payment. What they didn’t understand is that
these working people will not undercut future generations of
bus drivers and they have shown how strong their principles
are by rejecting this offer, CTU President Richard Wagstaff
said. NZ Bus needs to reconsider its rejection of the
Wellington Regional Council’s offer to fund a wage
“Many economists were saying it would take until 2023 for the economy to return to previous levels.” But the economy had instead proved to be remarkably resilient in the face of what he described as a “one in 100 year” shock. Robertson said annual economic growth was expected to average 3.4 per cent over the next four years. The Treasury is now expecting GDP to rise 2.9 per cent in the year to the end of next month, 3.2 per cent the following year, and a huge 4.4 per cent in the year to June 2023. In December, the Treasury had been forecasting growth of 1.5 per cent, 2.6 per cent and then 3.7 per cent during those years.