Rangatahi from Save the Children and Kelson Boys' High School at the Child Poverty Action Group Budget analysis. Photo: Supplied
"Do not just invest in stats and numbers, invest in us."
That is the message from a group of teenagers grappling with some of the decisions made by the government in this year's Budget.
They came together along with child advocates, researchers and rangatahi to unpack the budget. with KiwiSaver, pay equity, employment and climate change all top of the discussion.
Save the Children Generation Hope Youth ambassadors opened the post-Budget chat hosted by the Child Poverty Action Group in Tāmaki Makaurau with these words.
"A budget is numbers, but numbers don't heal people, a budget is a promise but promises break without action, a budget is pointless without a plan.
"We've heard the speeches we've seen the headlines roll in; the words roll in like tides the tides that never quite reach the shore."
One of the youth ambassadors is 17-year-old Sonya.
She was concerned about what she feels are important parts of daily life that were missing from the budget.
"There was a lot about infrastructure and funding for big things, but not really the things that matter or the things that impact people on their daily lives.
"Kids that go to school, what are we going to do about buses? What are we going to do about traffic? What are we going to do about families and school lunches?"
One of the big changes affecting rangatahi is the tightening of the job seeker and emergency benefits.
18 and 19-year-olds on those will now have them means tested against their parents' incomes.
Year 12 students at Kelston Boys' High School Uelese and Nikolao are concerned about this.
"Do they know, especially in Polynesian households like our parents, have their own struggles, relying on them for the funding will put more stress and you know, more troubles on our parents," said Uelese.
"Yeah, I think it all goes back to the purpose of the government itself to provide positive outcomes for the general public, whether or not you have stable parents, I feel like everybody deserves what they're promised," Nikolao said.
The issue was of particular relevance for Uelese - whose mother has been impacted by the pay equity reform.
Year 12 Kelston Boys' High School student Nikolao speaks at the event. Photo: Supplied
While its overhaul will save the government $2.7 billion a year.
The changes mean workers now face a higher threshold to prove they are underpaid due to sex discrimination.
Uelese is worried about how it will affect his mum and dedicated his opening speech to her.
"If my mom can't get ahead, how am I supposed to?
"This year's budget was meant to be about growth, but for so many families, especially those led by women, it feels more like being told to grow something from dry soil.
"You can't cut down the people who carry the load and expect the next generation to rise.
"This budget forgets the people who hold our communities and our children together, women, especially mothers."
Then there is KiwiSaver.
From July, 16 and 17-year-olds are eligible to get the government contribution and requirements for employers to match their deposits will kick in next year.
But the minimum contribution will go up from three percent of wages to four percent over the next three years.
The amount the government is contributing is being halved to a maximum of $261 a year.
The government said the increase in the default amount could leave KiwiSaver members with more than $100,000 in retirement.
But the Labour Party claims not everybody will benefit, especially younger people.
It claims the changes could mean an 18-year-old ends up with $66,000 less for their retirement.
Uelese and Nikolao are disappointed with the change.
"You know, finance is everything it would be good to, like, have that support that they've sort of halved.
"I mean, it's still there, but is half really enough to start something in, in this ever growing society," said Uelese.
The students also said there is one big thing missing in the budget, addressing climate change.
Instead, the government has set aside $200 million to invest in fossil fuel development at gas fields, reduce climate finance to the pacific and clawed back funds for government agencies working on ways to save energy.
Uelese said it was worrying.
"We're really educated on climate change and we know that it's like one of the biggest issues, if not the biggest issue that we're facing right now.
"We actually need to get our butts up and start moving."
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