UN concludes NZ must take systemic approach

Ending child poverty does require a systemic approach and the Government must do more to help babies living in horrible and unacceptable conditions, says Labour’s spokesperson for children Jacinda Ardern.

“The United Nation’s recently released analysis follows intense scrutiny of the Minister and officials in Geneva. The committee has found that child poverty requires a systemic approach, something we totally agree with and needs to happen before more babies are raised in cars or garages.

“Labour has long advocated for an approach that tackles not just the symptoms, but the causes of poverty in New Zealand, and the disproportionate impact on Māori and Pasifika children.

“A proper discussion that includes establishing a national definition of child poverty while setting bold targets would be a great start and is long overdue.

“There’s a huge amount of consensus in Parliament around the need to take more decisive action on child poverty, though sadly that consensus hasn’t quite extended to the Government yet.

“Just this week the Prime Minister, rather than accepting a challenge by the Children’s Commissioner to reduce material deprivation in New Zealand by 10%, Mr Key chose to dispute poverty measures.

“We must all work together and be bold with ambitious definitions and decisions aimed at ultimately eradicating child poverty.

“Labour considers this as a top priority. I look forward to doing more work with social services, children’s rights advocates and other political parties to stop children living in substandard conditions while strengthening strategies and measures for reducing child poverty,” says Jacinda Ardern.

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