New poverty subsidy 'not enough'

(The Standard 23 Jan, 2014) A lawmaker has criticised the proposed subsidy for the poor families, saying it won't be able to lift them out of poverty. Frederick Fung Kin-kee from the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood was speaking at a Legco meeting on welfare services discussing the low-income working family allowance proposed in the Policy Address.

He urged the government to consider giving other forms of subsidy. But the Welfare Secretary, Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, reiterated the government's view that the poverty line should not be seen as a poverty alleviation line. --RTHK