This damning state of affairs would shock anyone, but what's even worse than the numbers is what this means for ordinary people. Some of the whānau I know on the ground in Te Tai Hauāuru who are on benefits are paying up to a quarter of their incomes to service Government debt that was incurred to cover basic needs like food and bills during the COVID pandemic. This is on top of rising prices, an insecure job market, and the Government dropping support they brought in during the pandemic such as the double winter energy payment. The theft of our assets over generations is what has built the fortunes of the rich in this country and it has fuelled this extraordinary wealth divide. 