MPs’ notoriously unhealthy eating habits will take a whole new turn next week when a bunch of us live from Monday to Friday on $2.25 a day.
We are living below the line – below the extreme poverty line that is – in a symbolic show of solidarity with the world’s poor. This is a new campaign from the international development agencies to give a glimpse into the lives of 1.4 billion people who have no choice but to live below the line every day – and who have to make $2.25 cover a lot more than food.
The Labour team corralled into action by Jacinda Ardern, also includes Grant Robertson, David Parker, Annette King and me. You can sponsor our efforts by clicking on our names.
The NGOs backing this campaign are all worth supporting. Behind the promotional pizzazz of a campaign like this they are doing grassroots development work as well as campaigning against the policies and structures that keep people poor.
And who knows what surprises might come from five days on strict rations? You won’t find the Labour team producing recipe books with cheerful meals that the unemployed can live on after Paula Bennett has cut their benefits…that’s more of a Tory thing. But it might be worth keeping an eye on speeches in the House next week as the mind-altering effects of hunger kick in.
You can give here.
It’s the fictitious cost of shelter which absorbs the majority of income leaving less than $3 a day per person to feed a family. Twood B good 2 C the true causes of hardship addressed sincerely as the free lunch of land price appreciation does so at the cost of the wellbeing of those who can least afford it.
Long live champagne socialism…
http://www.prosper.org.au/2012/09/17/banking-on-land-rent/
Out of interest, how did you decide on $2.25? Is it USD or NZD? Will you go somewhere that your $2.25 will go further than Wellington. Just got back from India, and 7 adults, and 4 children were able to dine for $30NZD for our evening meal in a reasonable restaurant. Starters, mains and dessert! It really got me thinking how expensive it is to eat out here!
Taxpayer already sponsors your food.
Ugh…..I like the idea of raising awareness of poverty. I like the campaign. I have donated…. I know, first-hand, what poverty is like.
But senior MPs from the main opposition party are not the right people to do this. We NEED you to be on your game!!
We pay you a good salary to do a job. When you are in opposition you are employed to hold the government to account, develop alternative policy, look after your constituents and prepare yourselves for when you will be in government.
I don’t think you will be carrying out those roles to the best of your ability, next week. The shock to your diet will reduce your effectiveness.
I am disheartened. This is a distraction from some very, very important issues happening RIGHT NOW. Rome is burning…..C’mon Labour….is this the best you can do?
Ugh….
I’d sponsor Bennett to see if she can live on $225 a day for food. Maybe she could talk Gerry into it too?
Okay, I don’t mind if this comment doesn’t get posted. But I just wanted to say that I would be disappointed if my first one wasn’t posted.
I am a long-time supporter of Labour, we should be able to express our views on this blog. My post wasn’t spiteful, off-topic or defamatory. I have a reasoned view and I think it is worthy of posting.
This blog is suffering from a perception that it does not tolerate contrary views. I think this is one of the reasons we are bleeding support to the Greens and losing clicks to independent blogs.
I don’t expect you to post this, but please post my first…..
I can’t belive this. You mean you want a donation for being able to eat healthy on your salary? Geez you’re good people aren’t you! Oh… I see…. you’re trying to set an example maybe??
Helen had an expression for this sort of SHITE.
FFS guys…. get amongst it.
Here was me beginning to think better of you.
“I’d sponsor Bennett to see if she can live on $225 a day for food. Maybe she could talk Gerry into it too?”
For a minute there I thought you were going to say the ‘f’ word and risk being censored like I was.
Stunts I can do without out. It’s like people who pretend to sleep rough for a night in their cashmere undies and Khatmandu sleeping bags to experience homelessness. Pulp and common people springs to mind.
Rent a flat above a shop,
cut your hair and get a job.
Smoke some fags and play some pool,
pretend you never went to school.
But still you’ll never get it right,
cos when you’re laid in bed at night,
watching roaches climb the wall,
if you call your Dad he could stop it all.
The hungry don’t need anymore awareness, they already know what it’s like to want for a feed, still, if it makes you feel good, why not?
The cost of housing in NZ means there is no money left for food in the weekly budget of the poor.
Thank goodness for the tax cuts which further enriched the Tory voters.
@Al1en – you got it all wrong, that only applies when males comment on the minister’s “health issues”.
I’m glad to hear you’re embracing the opportunity for a bit of shamanism in the House, Phil. Perhaps you could revisit Labour’s drug policy while you’re at it?
Jennifer – what a nasty horrible comment you have made about Paula Bennett – really nasty –
In terms of $2.25 per day – i think it is very possible
A 1.5kg of porridge should last several days – cheapest and a healthy option.
Lunch – at Pak’n'save a loaf of budget bread does cost $1.49 (well that was the price at Kilbirnie on Sunday – i expect budget brand margarine would last a few weeks so you could apportion that cost and same with filling (Jam / vegemite/ peanut butter)
Dinner – a little more challenging – rice / potato / pasta – budget brands again – $0.89 for pasta packet. budget brand rice, i would recommend a visit to the market and careful selection of veges might get you through the week.
But reality this is a waste of time. I have just come back fromVietnam – wonderful country to visit – but it did give me an appreciation of what the definition of poverty really is. Also extremely positive people who own their lives and control their destiny. Left me thinking that in NZ Poverty indeed a rare thing, substantially self inflicted through bad decisions, and that NZ is definitely the country of opportunity. Problem is welfare drags the country down and keeps people poor. I have less sympathy for the welfare classes in NZ than ever before now.
Dumb…..again.
“@Al1en – you got it all wrong, that only applies when males comment on the minister’s “health issues”.”
It’s not weighing on my mind, Tim
So the fact that a society is “relaxed” about the large numbers of it people starving to death, dying of third world diseases at a rate that would be regarded as “epidemic” anywhere in the western world…..That is so overpopulated that to have a job is a luxury, and to expect to be paid a decent wage for it would be tantamount to suicidal if ever voiced as an option….Is able to produce food, and entertainment at bargain rates for tourists surprises?
And to consider shifting that paradigm to New zealand, for no better reason than getting cheap 5 star restaurant meals represents an intelligent, community minded opinion?
Shameful….. that in this day, and age, we still have need to educate supposedly intelligent people about how untenable the philosophies of elitism have always been…
Offensive, that people should assume to suggest to what was developing into a fully functional egalitarianism, that we should descend back to slavery as a way of getting cheap service….
Humans the peak of evolution? I don’t think so….
What a great idea. Prove to the world that people could actually survive on a lot less money than the minimum wage and/or benefit currently provide. Nice piece of research that can be used against the unions next time they complain about someone not being paid enough.
While you’re at it you should see if you can provide your kids with breakfast, lunch and dinner while maintaining a healthy cigarette and alcohol addiction.
Something that I would expect from the young nats, but I guess Labour can be useful sometimes.
@Al1en – Monty and I are still weighting for you and jennifer to get banned for this immense outrage you have caused! Your comment was hugely inappropriate. The minister is in a heavy situation and it is nothing to make light of.
Can’t you just admit the error of your weighs?
Tim, if you can get ‘gut buckets’ into a sentence that isn’t moderated, I’ll donate an extra bag of groceries to the Salvation Army foodbank.