Two years ago today, a white supremacist murdered 51 people at two Christchurch mosques. In addition to the deaths and injuries, survivors were left traumatised by what they had seen. Jacinda Ardern, who has built her political brand on kindness, is refusing to help them. Why not? Because then she might have to be kind to others too:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she can’t expand access to cover all those traumatised at the March 15 terror attacks without expanding access more widely.As reasons go, this is a really, really shitty one. What would be so bad about helping other victims of trauma? Does she think its not real? Does she think that it doesn't fuck up people's lives every bit as much as a physical injury? Or is she just looking for ways to Keep Taxes Low, the rich sweet, and the status quo intact, so she doesn't have to actually do anything with the power we gave her?Currently ACC covers those with direct physical injuries but not those with mental health injuries that are not work-related or the result of sexual abuse.
That means those who were traumatised at either of the Christchurch mosques two years ago where a terrorist killed 51 Muslim worshippers, are not eligible for direct payments for mental health trauma.
