A report by Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) reveals poverty in Dunedin is still a big problem.The report, entitled Can we do better? Voices of poverty - Dunedin 2008, is due to be published later this month.
It follows a report published by PSO in 2002, which found a significant number of Dunedin citizens were living below the poverty line and recommended a series of government, local body and community responses.
PSO communications and fundraising director Lisa Wells said the 2008 report set out to determine if things had improved for Dunedin's low-income families since that time.
‘‘This report mainly focuses on the financial aspect of people's lives.'
‘‘It highlights the many difficulties and stresses people face when they are met with an acute lack of money.''
PSO declined to comment further on the report, saying some details had ‘‘yet to be finalised and printing negotiations were still under way''.
However, key findings released last month found despite an economic boom in previous years and the Working for Families programme, many Dunedin households still struggled with insufficient incomes.
A Dunedin family of five on a benefit can still be up to about $250 short a week for household essentials - a shortfall $20 greater than in 2002; benefit abatement levels have not changed since 1998; 90 per cent of study participants had debts - 72 per cent of whom owed money to Work and Income New Zealand; and benefit systems driven by ‘‘back to work'' philosophies created inequity between beneficiaries and wage-earners.
The final report will recommend that the government raise benefit abatement levels annually, better train Work and Income staff, invest in social housing and increase funding to schools.
