More Equal Societies Are Better For All

Equality Network Summit

28th February 2014

Nga Whare Waatea Marae,

31 Calthorp Place, Mangere, Auckland

FULL NOTES.

1.Attendees:

OrganisationName

NZCCSS / Paul Barber
NZCCSS / Trevor McGlinchey
NZCCSS / Matthew Bartlett
Closing the Gap / Anita Smith
Closing the Gap / Brian McKenzie
Closing the Gap / Peter Malcolm
Closing the Gap / Gary Ware
Closing the Gap / Marlene Ware
Auckland Action Against Poverty / Nadia Abu-Shanab
Auckland Action Against Poverty / Alastair Russell
Auckland Action Against Poverty / Sue Bradford
Auckland Anglican Diocese / Vicky Mee
Auckland Anglican Social Justice Committee / David Hall
AUT Researcher on Inequality Attitudes / Peter Skilling
Caritas / Cathy Bi
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission / Anne Paulger
Child Poverty Action Group / Janfrie Wakim
Child Poverty Action Group / Alan Johnson
Child Poverty Action Group / Gillian Roach
Child Poverty Action Group / Sara Rishworth
Child Poverty Action Group / Mike O'Brien
Consultant / David Shannon
Council of Trade Unions / Eileen Brown
Editor "Inequality - A NZ Crisis" / Max Rashbrooke
Every Child Counts / Deborah Morris Travers
JR McKenzie Trust / Iain Hines
JR McKenzie Trust / Jan Digby
Living Economics Educational Trust / Helen Dew
Living Wage campaign / Annie Newman
Living Wage campaign / Dr Siobhan Trevallyan
Living Wage campaign / Diana Yukich
Living Wage campaign / Susan Adams
Mental Health Foundation / Lisa Ducat
NZ Council of Social Services (NZCoSS) / Andrew Beyer
Ros Rice
NZEI / Rebecca Matthews
Poverty Action Waikato / Anna Cox
Poverty Action Waikato / Rose Black
Public Health Association / Toby Regan
Public Health Association / Warren Lindberg
Public Service Association / Debbie Taylor
Public Service Association / Conor Twyford
Serviice and Food Workers Union / Jill Ovens
Serviice and Food Workers Union / Fala Haulangi
Te Whaatea Marae Mangere / Marama Davis
Te Whaatea Marae Mangere / Frances Edwards
Te Whaatea Marae Mangere / Merana Peka
AUT / Prof Judy McGregor
Otago University / Prof Liz Craig
UCAN / Debbie Leyland
UMR Research / Gavin White
Rev. Robert Robati-Mani
Marama Davidson

2.Powhiri/Welcome/morning tea

3.Introduction to the Event

The Secretary of the Equality Network, Peter Malcolm, introduced himself and the other programme organisers Annie Newman (National Convenor Living Wage Aotearoa NZ), Brian McKenzie (Closing the Gap), Warren Lindberg (Public Health Association), Marama Davidson (Equality Network).

Peter thanked them for their efforts in putting the programme together.

We want to express our thanks to the J.R. McKenzie Trust for their support, and to those who have come together to deal with the very important issue at hand – growing inequality. The newly released information showed that Government figures on child poverty had been underestimated, and the situation was getting worse. We all knew this and the figures confirmed it.

The Equality Network kicked off two years ago at this Marae. A group of like minded organisations realised that we could be much more effective if we worked co-operatively under the mantra that more equal societies are better for everyone. The meeting today is to take stock, look at what has been achieved and what is the best way forward. We need to share our individual plans to see how we can best support one another, recognising that the issue of inequality is so important it is vital that we work under the same mantra.

Four groups were set up at the initial Hui:

  • Strategising and organising
  • High pay commission
  • Key messaging group
  • Future hui planning group

The work of the Equality Network is best described by looking at the website:

The overarching message is that we need to work together and that more equal societies are better for all. The website provides information about each organisation and what they are doing. If your organisation is not on the website, and would like to be, please send me the relevant details and a contact person so that I can get in touch.

If you look at the website it can clearly be seen what we are on about, what’s happening, and calls to action--these are linked to more details. It is important that the website has details of any action and keeps us informed so we can keep everyone informed.

We detail successes as they arise and provide information on the various members of the network.

The website is not complete because not all of you are on it. So please send me the relevant details to rectify that.

Peter thanked Anita Smith from Transformer Design who has volunteered her services to the website. Transformer Design's contribution has been generous and free to the network.

The website is intended to be a virtual hub where we can work strategically and co-operatively. Keep us informed about your activities to keep everyone informed. Working together is the way forward. We have a stronger voice if we work together.

4.Keynote Address:

Dr Judy McGregor, School of Social Sciences and Public Policy, AUT.

Brief introduction.

Income equality and “public voice: - who speaks and who listens? (Full transcript: Appendix 1)

Judy introduced herself saying she has a background in journalism, academic life and human rights work.

I have become increasingly aware of the importance of advancing social and economic justice through the taking of ‘public voice’ and story telling. As Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner I used what could be described loosely as narrative inquiry to talk to over 3000 New Zealanders about equality at work in 2010, and over 800 older people, care givers, unionists, employers, medical professionals, and bureaucrats about equal employment opportunities in the aged care sector in 2012. I am basing my comments today on my learning’s from those national human rights inquiries, and the public discourse that surrounded them, on current research and on natural scepticism finely honed by journalism. It is very timely to talk about public voice at a time of incrementally increasing debate and concern about the gap. Who is listening and who is speaking?

I will be covering several general points about ‘public voice’ and the new world order of the media and its influence on social justice issues generally. Then I would like to look at the state and status of the ‘story’ of income inequality. I would like to finish with some practical points about advancing ‘public voice’ on economic and social justice.

  1. Despite the ubiquity of access to social media and new media formats, connection may not be communication or commitment.

Claim about equal access needs to be looked at. The speed, ease and tease can distract from issues. It has rushed our response to equality issues. Allure of involvement, feel involved, maybe do some good but at the end of the day no responsibility. I am a twit I have tweeted – improved the logistics of organisations but has it actually deepened understanding. Connection isn’t a proxy.

  1. Who ‘speaks’? New Zealand has a shallow pool of commentary. Public voice is still dominated by 50 or so “experts” either self-appointed or self-anointed, regardless of the newer media and communication platforms that researchers suggested would herald a new age of participation.
  2. We need to replenish and succession-plan to strengthen public voice about equality: do we need to be replenishing expert voices?
  3. Enabling autonomy and ‘public voice’.

Creating and sustaining an enabling environment for low paid workers, disabled people and beneficiaries, the unemployed and others to not only take a ‘public voice’ but also to be listened to. The dilemma of our communicative abundance is not only who is doing the talking and where, and who, is listening?

  1. Challenging orthodoxy is the hardest aspect of taking a ‘public voice’. How are we doing on income inequality?

Brian McKenzie (Closing the Gap) Thanked Judy for her address and commented that her keynote address was proof that not all commentary was shallow.

Ted Ratana, Nga Whare Waatea Marae, took his leave from the meeting after introducing marae representatives Frances Edwards and Marama Davis.

Trevor McGlinchey welcomed the newcomers on behalf of the Equality Network members.

5, Where are we at with inequality – past present and future

Max Rashbrooke. Editor, Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis/website:

Where the public is at present is broadly a good story. If you we look at Google, for instance. Up until 2009 there was nothing significant about inequality registering, but by the middle of last year it rocketed. Polling backs that up, Roy Morgan asked people what they thought the biggest issues were. In 2010, 3% identified inequality but that had risen to 15% by August last year. There has been a huge increase in awareness. This has been visible in the talks I have been giving around the North Island. We are reissuing the first 2 chapters of “Where are we at with inequality..” as an eBook and paperback. The cost is $5 as eBook and paperback, they provide a short, clear, brief introduction into equality. If you want to get hold of it, touch base during the meeting.

I have been talking to Price Waterhouse Coopers, young tax professionals, Rotary. Z Energy has asked if I would like to come and talk to them. The companies are sometimes trying to position themselves in relation to inequality, rather than do anything about it but I regard it as an opportunity.

The Greens/ NZ First/ Labour Party talking about this issue very strongly. The National Party, unsurprisingly, is not so strong on this but even in National there is a shift. Bill English used to say Government couldn’t do anything but he is now saying they are doing something, but only 6% of National voters think that inequality is an issue. This is a challenge. In the same poll it is clear that health, wages, education, child poverty and jobs are an issue. These areas are hugely impacted on by inequality but people don’t necessarily make the links between inequality and those areas. Our challenge is to assist them to make the link between inequality and those areas of concern.

  1. Presentationson Major Issues
  1. The Low Paid.
  2. Those in Paid Work.

Annie Newman, National Convenor Living Wage Movement Aotearoa New Zealand &

SFWU Lead Organiser

The Living Wage is about building linking the voices of civil society to gain traction and make a difference about inequality in society. The Living Wage Movement is about building relationships with other organisations to develop a common voice to make a difference to the working poor.

The membership draws on three strands of civil society – faith, union and secular groups. The movement has grown rapidly. We are now an incorporated society, the new 2014 Living Wage rate of $18.80 has been released by the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit. It has been calculated to produce a basic but decent standard of living. All the information is available on the website:

We know that the community pays a price for low wages. The top five concerns are all a way to begin discussion on a Living Wage.

  • A large number of workers are earning just above the minimum wage – it isn’t enough to live on.
  • A different standard, a different narrative, the living wage rather than the minimum wage.
  • What we set is the standard for workers.
  • This is an issue for the whole community.
  • How do we build and sustain the movement? This is a long-term issue.

We need a sustainable broad-based coalition for the Living Wage and other community campaigns.

The Living Wage is about both raising debate and building the organisation. The organisation will get bigger and more organised but it will be grown around local community. What happens in Wellington reflects those communities and likewise in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Christchurch - but always with the three strands of union, faith and secular groups working together. We are doing politics differently. Living Wage will hold politicians to account for their actions. Linda Cooper in West Auckland made a public pledge to support the implementation of the Living Wage and then reneged and the Living Wage community in her local area is working to bring pressure on her to honour her commitment.

How is the Living Wage delivered? Three ways. Through procurement policies for services such as cleaning and security. The motivation for contracting out is cutting costs, but those procuring the services have the power to set Living Wages within the contract. The second way is through employment negotiations, and the third is by legislation.

The targets for the Living Wage Movement are specific. We don’t target everyone. Local and Central Government are targets because money out of our pockets for the public good should be paying living wages, not keeping people in poverty. Corporate and wealthy employers who can pay, and willing ethical employers who want to pay. The narrative is that small companies can’t afford this, but the reality is they are the ones doing this, they are the ones who are stepping up.

You can become a Living Wage Employer. Go to the website. If your organisation/business meets the criteria the Accreditation Advisory Board will approve your application and you get to display the Living Wage Employer Trademark. The criteria are straightforward: All employees, whether directly employed or contracted must be paid a living wage; No changes to conditions of employment or working hours; All workers must be provided with access to a union in their place of work. The application form to become an accredited Living Wage Employer can be downloaded from the website.

And Dr Siobhann Trevellyan, Waitakere Union Health Care. Health & the Living Wage

I have been a GP for 9 years in West Auckland. The clinic is owned and governed by unions. It provides low cost access to health for low-income communities. We were excited by the Living Wage, impressed by the depth of research and at the first AGM of LWMANZ I was elected onto the Governance Committee.

The first step the Clinic made was to look at the Living Wage and ensure that all staff were paid the Living Wage. This meant uplifting the cleaners’ wage. We were challenged by the Living Wage. We always valued our cleaner, Malakai, and what he brings, his personality and reliability. We forgot how much difference it actually makes to real people doing real work .

So, our patients, our staff are on GO FREE and we are vocal about what we are doing, not just lecturing but also bringing people on the journey. We provide information on the Living Wage about the clinic along with posters. Our patients are now in a position to afford prescriptions because that money isn’t being spent on the doctor’s visit. This all fits well with our philosophy of reducing inequality by removing a huge barrier to health care.

We also introduced Go Free. This meant moving us to a free model for healthcare. The Capitation was large enough. Everyone under 18, over 65 or a member of a union or their family members go free. We use a very broad definition of family. Not everyone is free, but we are working towards it.

We advocate about the Living Wage to our clients. We encourage them to vote and participate. Many of our clients don’t think their vote is important and they don’t feel valued by society, so talk to them.

We will continue in our advocacy and continue to promote workers rights.

  1. Welfare Beneficiaries

Sue Bradford Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP):

This government has a deliberate programme to get people off benefits or to ensure benefits are as low as possible. Beneficiaries are trying to get enough to live on and failing.

AAAP ran beneficiary impacts in Onehunga and New Lynn over three days. We assisted hundreds and hundreds of people to get what they were entitled to. Through that action people saw the real face of this government. They are forcing people who are very ill to be work tested. Benefits are being cut to people who can’t work. Young mums and babies are living in squalor with no heating, many with no accommodation, and that reality is particularly intense in larger cities. This government has no commitment to a housing programme.

The Household Income Survey shows that 275,000 are officially jobless. But despite this, mothers with babies have to work, sick people have to work, people with mental health issues must be work tested and the pressure on that particular community is devastating. For those with mental health issues living one day at a time is success. The impacts of National’s welfare reforms have kicked in as we knew they would.

With reference to some points raised in the keynote speech. The election, what’s going on? If you are a beneficiary why would you vote? The Labour Party is the party that institutionalised the inequality that beneficiaries face with their Working for Family Tax Credits. Labour reinstituted the no go zones and it was Labour that changed the primary purpose of welfare. It is Labour that created the basis for what National is doing now. Have we heard one Labour Party person, speaking on behalf of the party, come out and say they will repeal one or any of the welfare laws of this government. No. Until Labour does this, so that people are treated with respect, fairness, and dignity and have enough to money to live on, why would a beneficiary vote for Labour, they don’t care. Even the Greens are after the middle ground. The middle is all that matters. No one is speaking for beneficiaries, maybe the Greens a little bit. Until the voice is put strongly by Labour I don’t trust what will happen. How many of us are challenging what is happening to beneficiaries? This Hui, I didn’t know it existed. Why didn’t AAAP know? AAAP is not a non-political organisation, AAAP is a very political organisation. We organise pickets, we do everything to change what is happening, that is political, and we are political.