The reality of the working poor

In 2017, there were about 76,400 people on minimum wage (which was $15.75 an hour at the time - it increased to $16.50 on April 1, 2018) in New Zealand, and an estimated 164,100 people earning $16.50 (which at the time was above minimum wage.

Many ask why we focus our kaupapa first on food poverty then the environment.  The reason is because we believe how can we share messages that are important when people are not getting their basic needs met first.  Food poverty in NZ is not just about those who are on benefits or homeless but it also includes our now working poor.  This is a national issue.  We believe that through meeting these priority immediate needs first the natural bi-product will be a listening ear to all the other issues that surround kai and waste.  But first, we must feed our people.  

Below is the first in a series of short documentaries produced by Kathleen Winter.  She has focused on women - including Roszanne - in the short documentary series, Minimum, which shows real people talking about their lives earning the minimum wage, or slightly above, or working on zero hour contracts in Aotearoa.  We hope this gives you an understanding of how people are living right now in our country and the system failures affecting them.

Credit: https://bit.ly/2QgpGaV