Letter: Asset sales are a welfare issue

Last updated 12:00 04/04/2012

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OPINION: Grey Power has a mandate to take issue with the government or local bodies on any issue that affects, or can affect, the aged or anyone else.

Derek Williams (Letters, March 29) appears not to have read the constitution of the Grey Power Federation. Its objectives have been in force since 1986, in the heyday of Rogernomics.

Mr Williams should read Objective 2.1 (a), the welfare and well being clause.

Electricity is an essential service and the cost is fast going out of reach for 276,000 people aged over 65 years (Statistics NZ, 2011) who have incomes of less than $330 a week. Of this, government taxation and local body rates take more than $100 a week.

Then along comes the electricity bill, which costs the average household around $30-plus a week.

So, aren't the proposed asset sales a welfare issue?

BRUCE TWIDLE

Waitangirua

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