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Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income PeoplesThus some of the objections raised in the interviews might well be met by proposedfeatures such as a fixed quantum of subsidy per time-period, relatively low amounts,and therefore little incentive for trading subsidy access to those not eligibleOne of those interviewed was unwilling to comment in detail, regarding the proposalas outside the ambit of her department. She made the general comment that the taxsystem is “about collecting tax”. A good general rule when governments were asked toprovide concessions was that they should be kept out of the tax system, as that madethe concessions “more transparent”, and also made it easier to target them. Shereferred to ‘Working for Families’ as a scheme which had brought people back into thetax system, and had brought back some complexity. She added that this did not meanshe would criticise Working for Families as a policy.Some of the doubts raised were identical to those raised also about the proposedremoval of GST. For instance:• the difficulties in defining ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods,.• lack of clarity about objectives. Health or Equity?, and• the possibility of savings on food purchases being put to ‘bad’ use; forinstance, spent on booze or drugs. Another interviewee put it as “Broccolicheaper – more KFC?”.This last point can be seen as a particular (though more pungently put) expression ofa general concern touched on by more than one informant, namely, that the proposedintervention might fail to address the specific problem of food insecurity, but insteadhave other less desirable outcomes. This could indeed apply to some food-insecurehouseholds, though surely not all.An issue here, as pointed out by one interviewee, is that the cause of food insecurityis not solely ‘income inadequacy’. Another cause is ‘poor decision-making capability’(for at least some households), and this is a problem better addressed by other means(eg,. budget advisory services) than, or concurrently with, consumption subsidies.Additional points were: the importance of getting “design issues” right’; as just oneexample; the definition of ‘dependent children’; the need to keep in mind the ‘non-card’market.Increases in Effective Marginal Tax rates (EMTRs) were seen by one interviewee as apotential problem (in the case of the subsidy applying to only part of the population).On refection though he thought this was not likely to be too serious a problem, withcurrently a fairly large ‘non-abatement zone’ for family income up to round about$35,000.A point made strongly by one informant was that the whole approach “Needs to betested with people from the likely target group.” For example, using focus groups. Theoverall aim should be seen as “equalising nutrition or health”. Income inequality was afactor in food insecurity, but focusing on it alone was going “off target”.31
Enhancing Food Security and Physical Activity for Māori, Pacific and Low-income PeoplesConclusions and recommendationsProposed Intervention I: Removing Goods and Services Tax (GST) from healthybasic foods.Conclusions:There are substantial objections to this proposed intervention.• The simplicity of the current GST revenue system would be impaired, andcompliance and administration costs increased.• It would generate pressures to extend concessions to other ‘worthy’commodities such as books and clothing.• For ‘revenue neutrality’ to be maintained, GST on other commodities, or othertaxes, would have to be increased. This would likely have a negative impact onthe very individuals such a strategy purports to help.• Most importantly, it would be a very blunt instrument for addressing foodinsecurity issues. All purchasers of ‘Food’, or of ’Healthier Food’, right acrossthe income spectrum would benefit.Recommendation I: That the removal of GST from food in general, or from‘healthy basic foods’, not be endorsed as an intervention for reducing foodinsecurity.Proposed Intervention II: Provision of a Smart Card, providing discounts onhealthy nutritious foodNote that this is taken to not rule out the use of physical ‘vouchers’ or ‘scrip’ insituations where an Electronic Smart Card might not be practicable, for instance atweekend markets or roadside stalls.Conclusions:• The use of a Smart Card is practicable. It is now used nearly universally in theUnited States for the issue of ‘Food Stamps’ to families below the poverty line,and also for other benefit transactions. The acronym is EBT – ElectronicBenefit Transactions. Commonly, a given amount is credited to cards at fourweeklyor monthly intervals. The cards can then be used as in effect ‘DebitCards’ from which the purchase of qualifying items is deducted.• Entitlement to such a benefit, and the nature and amount of the payment couldtake a number of forms. Alternatives are discussed earlier in this chapter.There are two principal issues to resolve:A: Choice of foodstuffs to be subsidisedThree possible options are:• Fruit and vegetables• A ‘basket’ of specified ‘staple’ foodstuffs, such as fruit and vegetables, milk,cereals and cereal products, fish, meats.• Food items identified as being of good nutritional quality by an agency such asFSANZ (Food Standards Australia and New Zealand).Food insecurity is a matter of inadequate intake of a number of foodstuffs, not just fruitand vegetables. The second option is therefore preferable to the first. Not all ‘staple’foodstuffs, however, are of good nutritional content, and it is desirable that the scheme32
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