www.wairaka.net/ubinz/IR/pov99/1999B17AucklandPovertyForum.html

Vicki Poland, Central Leader (Auckland),17 November 1999
 

Budgeting advisers, charity workers, lawyers and beneficiaries are expected for what organisers describe as an "in-your-face" public discussion.

Central Leader readers voted poverty as the biggest concern leading up to the election.

The public forum on Poverty and Human Rights in New Zealand is at the Trades Hall Building at 147 Great North Rd in Grey Lynn from 7pm.

"We wanted an old fashioned forum where people could talk about grass roots problems and what political policies were going to do about it," says Mike Darke, who represents two of the organising bodies.

Mr Darke is a member of the Auckland Council for Civil Liberties as well as a senior advocate for the Auckland Combined Beneficiaries Union.

Council secretary and lawyer Phil Recordon says poverty in New Zealand is affecting human rights.

"We are born with a fundamental right to air, food and housing. People are hungry and housing is expensive and there is overcrowding and health problems.

"Therefore the rights that we have taken for granted are being denied for many," he says.

Human rights lawyer Tim McBride, from the co-sponsoring Legal Information Service, chairs the forum.

Mr McBride expects plenty of question time from the floor.

"You can't help but be deeply saddened by the reports that are coming out of South Auckland, in particular, with clear detail of poor child health.

"I have worked in other countries in recent years where you see a lot of poverty. Away from the postcard pictures, you get a sense that life is one hell of a struggle," says Mr McBride.

"When you come back to New Zealand and you read it's happening here it's distressing."

Opening speaker Chris Lawrence, an Auckland Human Rights Commissioner, leads four other community speakers including Auckland City Missioner Diane Robertson.

They are Lauren Richards from the Western Districts Budgeting Service, Solo Brown from the Mt Roskill-based Lafitaga Trust and the national president of the New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, Ron Horne.

Speakers from the two main political parties and likely coalition partners say they will attend.

Confirmed are Belinda Vernon for National, Steve Maharey for Labour, Muriel Newman for ACT and Matt Robson for the Alliance.

Mr Recordon says: "There has been a lot of interest in this meeting and other party candidates have asked to speak but with the time available and nine speakers already, we just haven't been able to do it."

"We have been telling people to come along and join the discussion from the floor."