Government announcements of more money for this, that and the other – all part of the Budget’s Covid-19 response – continued to flow from the Beehive over the weekend.
The “sport and recreation sector” ($266 million extra) was among the beneficiaries, although “recreation” (we might argue) is the beneficiary of announcements from the Minister of Conservation –
- Money to rebuild conservation and visitor infrastructure destroyed by a severe flood in Fiordland earlier this year ($13.7 million), to have “iconic Great Walks such as the Routeburn track and the full length of the Milford Track” ready to re-open in time for the summer season.
And from the Minister for the Community and Voluntary sector –
- A funding boost ($63 million over four years) for lifeguards and coastguards – $60.5m is for Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand for rescue services, and $2m to Water Safety NZ to promote good water safety.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson, who happens to be Minister of Sport and Recreation, separately announced that, over the next four years, the Government will invest in three areas:
- $83 million in short-term support to help sport and recreation organisations at all levels get through the initial impact of COVID-19.
- $104 million to help the sector rebuild in the medium term including so national and regional sports organisations can make changes in order to operate successfully in the post-pandemic environment. This will include supporting new operating models and more collaboration.
- $78 million for innovative approaches to delivering play, active recreation and sport into the future. The world is changing, and this funding will help us use new technology and research in the rebuild from COVID-19 to modernise the sporting sector.
Robertson said this sector contributes about $5 billion a year to New Zealand’s GDP and employs more than 53,000 people. This suggests the Budget boost averages out at $5019 per worker in this sector. But that’s not the way it will be distributed.
Robertson unabashedly said the beneficiaries will be determined through a discriminatory process:
“Across all these areas we will be providing funding to support women’s sport and groups who are currently underrepresented in sport like people with disabilities, Māori and those from low socioeconomic groups.”
Robertson therefore did not mean ALL New Zealanders when he said:
“We want New Zealanders to be able to get back to sport, recreation and play as soon as possible. This funding will get sports from community clubs to elite level athletes back up and running.”
Oh – and talking about discrimination, the weekend threw up another example, although we expect the government will insist this is “positive” discrimination and has nothing to do with MPs in Maori seats wanting to hold on to them at the general election.
We refer to an investment of $40 million in a partnership with Māori to get more whānau into warm, dry and secure accommodation.
This seems to be in addition to the $900 million for Maori which Point of Order mentioned the other day.
Another weekend announcement highlighted an additional $210 million over four years “to improve the incomes and reduce the pressure on 14,000 caregivers looking after more than 22,000 children”.
The carers of children both in and outside of the state care system who are unable to be cared for by their parents will benefit from –
- increasing the Unsupported Child’s Benefit (UCB), Orphan’s Benefit (OB) and Foster Care Allowance (FCA) by $25 a week per child ($143.1 million over 4 years)
- allowing caregivers who may provide care for less than 12 months to access the Orphan’s Benefit and Unsupported Child’s Benefit ($46.6 million)extending Birthday and Christmas Allowances, which are currently only available to caregivers caring for children in state care, to those receiving the UCB and OB ($16.8 million)
- continuing payments of the FCA to caregivers of children in state care for up to 20 days while the child they care for is in respite care ($3.2 million).
The Point of Order Keep an Eye on ’em Monitor has been informed in these matters by checking the …
Latest from the Beehive
Release
17 MAY 2020
Sport Recovery Package announced
The Sport and Recreation sector will receive a multi-million dollar boost as part of the COVID-19 response funded at Budget 2020.
Release
17 MAY 2020
Major boost in support for caregivers and children
A major increase in funding and availability of support will improve the incomes and reduce the pressure on 14,000 caregivers looking after more than 22,000 children.
Release
17 MAY 2020
Great Walks recovery on track for summer
Vital conservation and visitor infrastructure destroyed by a severe flood event in Fiordland earlier this year is being rebuilt through a $13.7 million Budget 2020 investment, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage.
Release
16 MAY 2020
Māori – Government partnership gives whānau a new housing deal
The Government is investing $40 million in a partnership with Māori to get more whānau into warm, dry and secure accommodation, Associate Minister for Housing (Māori Housing) Hon Nanaia Mahuta says.
Release
16 MAY 2020
Keeping New Zealanders Safe In The Water
Our lifeguards and coastguards who keep New Zealanders safe in the water have been given a funding boost thanks to the 2020 Budget, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector Poto Williams has announced.
Community and Voluntary Sector
Point of Order 
Reblogged this on The Inquiring Mind and commented:
Again we see racism from the government
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