Tenancy rules need updating to give families more stability to put down roots in their communities, the Green Party said today. Data released today from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study highlights that almost half the children in the study live in rental homes. Renters tend to move more than home-owners, which can make it hard for families to plan for early childhood and primary education. “Families need housing stability so they can put down roots in their...

The latest Salvation Army report reinforces the need for a new Government committed to action on the biggest issues facing New Zealand, the Green Party said today. The 10th State of the Nation report from The Salvation Army, Off the Track, released today shows entrenched rates of child poverty, the highest prison muster ever, and an alarming lack of safe and affordable housing. “The barriers that many New Zealanders are facing to living a happy life are not being addressed...

Children in Auckland are falling ill with rheumatic fever as a direct result of the Government’s failure to address the housing crisis and child poverty, the Green Party said today. Figures released today show the number of children with rheumatic fever in the Auckland and Waitemata district health board areas has stayed at the same level, despite a Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme running for five years now. “This is a stark reminder that the housing crisis isn’t going away, and...

Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei is delighted to today accept the Public Health Association’s Tū rangatira mō te Ora award 2016 for her work on addressing equity issues for Māori and reducing child poverty in New Zealand. Previous award winners have included Dame Tariana Turia, and National Rheumatic Fever Co-ordinator Helen Herbert. “I am pleased to accept this award, but there is still a lot of work ahead to end child poverty in Aotearoa,” Mrs Turei said. “No New Zealand...

A United Nations report has today directly challenged New Zealand to take action to address child poverty, including establishing a national definition of poverty, according to Metiria Turei, co-leader of the Green Party.

The Green Party has a comprehensive plan to address child poverty, and will start by reforming Working for Families to make it work for every low-income family. “The Green Party in Government will do what John Key refuses to – reduce child poverty across the board.  We are committed to that goal because, as a country, we can’t afford not to,” Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei said today.   “The UN Sustainable Development Goals, which John Key committed to, call...

The Government needs to stop playing politics with children’s lives and agree to child poverty measures and reduction targets, the Green Party said today. The Prime Minister refused to commit to a child poverty reduction target on Morning Report today, following the Children Commissioner’s call over the weekend for him to do so. “It’s ridiculous that the Government is willing to spend time and money to come up with a target to eliminate possums in New Zealand, but refuses to...

Poverty is stagnating in New Zealand, and the National Government has no plan to help the kids from low income families who are falling further behind. ‘The material wellbeing of NZ households report’ by Bryan Perry, the most comprehensive look at poverty in this country, was released today and shows that child poverty is becoming normal in this country, and on some measures is back to levels not seen since the GFC. “The lot of New Zealand children has not...

Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman needs to save babies’ lives by directly funding pepi-pods for at-risk families across the country, the Green Party said today. Professor Ed Mitchell, a world-renowned infant death researcher from the University of Auckland, is meeting the Minister today to request $1.5 million to fund pepi-pods to stop Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI). Pepi-pods are a plastic alternative to wahakura, which are woven baskets that give babies a safe space to sleep in their parents’...

The Government needs to urgently reconsider its position to not provide funding for breakfasts and lunches for children who go to school hungry, the Green Party said today. The call comes after an Upper Hutt community group revealed it is struggling to get businesses to support a local school lunch programme, and after a report from the Christian Council of Social Services which showed some parents can’t afford to pay for food as well as pay their rent. “Thousands of...