Jacinda Ardern
Children’s Spokesperson

2 May 2014

Labour’s child poverty bill will address concerns

A Labour Bill, which has child poverty at the centre of government decision making, is in line with the main recommendation of a new report on improving our children’s health, Labour's spokesperson for Children Jacinda Ardern says.

A just released report from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says Kiwis shouldn’t tolerate our level of child poverty and could ‘radically improve’ poor health outcomes by tackling the problem at its root.

“The preventable diseases, such as rheumatic fever, respiratory illness and infectious skin diseases, that are putting our kids in hospital, are all exacerbated by poverty.

“Tackling the root cause head on not only saves thousands of kids from becoming sick unnecessarily, but saves us money through reducing hospitalisation rates.
“My Bill sets targets to reduce child poverty, and it sets goals across areas that contribute to it, such as health, housing and education.

“If the Government was serious about doing the same it could heed CPAG’s call and adopt our Bill on child poverty tomorrow.

“Labour is committed to delivering genuine change for our kids and setting them on a pathway to a better future.”

ENDS

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