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The latest report into the impact of poverty on wellbeing of Kiwi children shows why the Government has put children and families at the centre of its programme and will pass an historic Bill to tackle child poverty by the end of the Parliamentary year.
The Children’s Commissioner’s Child Poverty Monitor Review this year focused on the impact that poverty and low income is having on the wellbeing of Kiwi children.
Suffering families
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, “Evidence that children in low income families are more likely to get sick, to leave school without a qualification, and to sometimes struggle to get food*, shows why this Government has made the wellbeing of children such a priority.”
By the end of this Parliamentary term, in a few days’ time, New Zealand’s first-ever child poverty reduction Bill will have passed with cross-party support, she said.
Ms Ardern said that the goal of her Government is to halve child poverty within ten years, taking the rate of poverty and hardship among our children to world-leading low levels. But in order for us to meet our targets, children need us to act now.
“We have,” she said.
Ms Ardern issued the following Statement:
Lifting the lot of people
In the past year, the Coalition Government has lifted the incomes of more than 384,000 families by $65 a week, on average, now and $75 when the Families’ Package is fully implemented.
We have extended paid parental leave, and introduced the best start payment for every child born in New Zealand, providing $60 a week for up to three years to support every family at the most crucial time in their children’s’ development.
Free medicals for children
We have made it free for all children under 14 to go to the doctor and pick up a prescription. And we are making homes healthy for our kids to grow up in, by building thousands of affordable Kiwibuild and state homes, passing laws that guarantee minimum standards for rentals.
In a country with the resources of New Zealand, we have an opportunity and obligation to make our country the best place in the world to be a child.
The finding on food insecurity came from a 2015-2016 Survey.
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Photo Caption:
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (Supplied)
