WELLINGTON Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has called on the Government to combat poverty at home and abroad in the 2008 Budget. The Catholic agency for justice, peace and development made the call in its submission to the finance and expenditure select committee. In its submission, Caritas supported the Governments four conditions for tax cuts, giving priority to the condition that personal taxes will be only be cut in a way that does not lead to greater inequalities.

That condition should also apply to international policy, the agency said, reiterating its consistent request for a timetable for implementing the Governments earlier promise of contributing 0.7 per cent of gross national income in overseas development assistance by 2015. The Government last year set an interim goal of reaching a level of 0.35 per cent by 2010.

Caritass submission also sought greater assistance for families who are dependent on benefits. It asked that, as a basic minimum, any personal tax cuts be passed on to beneficiaries, rather than that the gross benefit rate be recalculated so net benefits are unchanged, as has happened previously.