It was sad.
It was true.
Auckland woman Bella works a 40 hour week as a cleaner.
Her unlivable, paltry wage of $475 a week means she now also pays ridiculous rent, ($450 a week) uses minimal to no power in her home as she talks quietly and is a sadly togged out in gloves, hat, scarf and jacket and sipping the cheapest coffee
The hourly rate for the lowliest worker needs to be at least $20 an hour, she said.
"Even then it would be tough,''
Sunday reporter Tania Page presented this piece with empathy and concern.
In fact it's not really for the reporter to colour the story but to just tell it.
However, Page put herself in the story giving it a depth of concern which reached out to her audience
As she said, work hard and you should be able to enjoy a decent life, or at least be able to pay the rent, right?
"Well for some working Kiwis living pay check to pay check that's not happening. It's the impact of rising rents and low wages that's biting hard as breadwinners are earning crusts and eating crumbs. "
Back to Bella in her kitchen saying it's not as if she was asking for the moon.
"I just want to be able to pay my way after working hard each week not continue to be worse off, cold and hungry.''
As columnist Frank Greenall said this week there was something rotten when someone was working a full week and still having to rely on charity food parcels to survive in modest accommodation.
And for Aucklanders, Greenall said.
"... a city wide rent strike would serve as a wonderful laxative for bloated property prices and profiteers.''
We're constantly hearing how teachers, nurses,caregivers ... all valuable workers are derided when they ask for a higher hourly rate.
Is it that no one is listening?
Are we a such country of niggardly naysayers who believe they are too often seen as nothing more than grasping, grizzling no hopers.
I felt sad after watching this piece.
It's too close to home for too many.
