Low-income families hit hardest by rising food, petrol

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Tue, 26 Jul 2011 7:00p.m.

David Geddes is a solo dad struggling to feed his three boys.

David Geddes is a solo dad struggling to feed his three boys.

High inflation and rising petrol prices mean times are tough and money is tight for many Kiwi families.

Most of the discussions have focused on middle-income households, perhaps because these fluctuate in their ability to cope and serve as an economic barometer.

But it’s low income households which are constantly struggling, and surveys say 40,000 New Zealand children rely on school or charities for breakfast.

Campbell Live spoke to one family which is only just managing to make ends meet.

Watch the video for the full story

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Comments

06 Sep 2011 05:18p.m.

Ty Williams wrote:

@Simon. Then it only stands to reason that us tax payers who subsidise farmers whenever there's big snow fall that bowls over half their stock or it refuses to rain and the farmers yet again go looking for a hand out from govt, can expect the govt to tell them to rack off on our behalf?

25 Aug 2011 02:03p.m.

ken wrote:

Racheal and many others, you don't get it do you! The man is not poor, is not struggling, is not hungry, is not cold. He is a mixture of stupid, lazy, mentally unwell from being caught in the welfare system, bored and fame-seeking. When you realise that then you would understand the various negative (as you put it) comments made here. He's a qualified carpenter for goodness sake! I said earlier that the best way to help this guy is to halve his benefit and I still believe that. He would also benefit (no pun inteded) from having a knock on the door from the police and/or a CYF's officer for keeping his kids out of school. Sez made a good comment that it would be good to revisit the guy to to what he has done with all these handouts. An interesting follow-up doco for Campell Live perhaps? Believe me, until he changes his thinking he will always be a big fish loser in a small pond.

25 Aug 2011 12:52p.m.

Racheal wrote:

Im shocked at some peoples comments,so negative i feel so sorry for this man, its hard to keep ya head up when you cant give the simple things like food to your kids. and the attitude of people change towards you when you look poor and hungry and dont fit into the community any more and he is trying his hardest with what hes got. Alot of people are going through the same thing, there has to be more help for them, there are no jobs out there, everything has gone up but not his benefit...we need to stop sending money over seas to other kids but look after our own kids here in NZ.. And to the people with ratshit comments one day you might be in this situation and i hope you think about your nasty comments and families like this!

23 Aug 2011 07:07p.m.

Christine wrote:

I would like to help this family if possible..

23 Aug 2011 12:22p.m.

Sez wrote:

I wonder if David ever took up any of the job offers??!!!

23 Aug 2011 01:52a.m.

JA wrote:

Look at his flash flatscreen TV (05:46)

21 Aug 2011 03:27p.m.

Lei wrote:

In David case,I guess Work and Income should compensate more to his family.Simply,he has more kids to look after.

20 Aug 2011 03:38p.m.

Dan wrote:

boohoo, what a pity. life goes on.

19 Aug 2011 02:55p.m.

B. Ward wrote:

People who make stupid comments about others in David Geddes' situation have obviously never had to experience struggling like that. When you feel like your income is secure it's just too easy to hide behind the money and talk down to those who are in dire difficulty.

04 Aug 2011 06:59p.m.

Simon wrote:

Kahu. Who owns Fonterra? The Farmers do, so again why should they subsidise everyone with cheap dairy products?