PHA says Tick for Kids on election day!

The Public Health Association is proud to be a partner of the Tick for Kids election campaign being launched in Auckland today.

“For some time we have been deeply concerned about the continued poor state of child health in Aotearoa-New Zealand. Our concern is the seemingly low value placed on children and their carers,” PHA Chief Executive Warren Lindberg said today.

“For too long New Zealand has failed to respond to high levels of childhood hardship, preventable disease, and marked inequalities. Two recent reports – from the Children’s Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Group on Child Poverty and the non-partisan Health Select Committee – provided a platform for any government to address our high rates of child poverty and child abuse.

“And yet after many reports and calls to action there have only been small gains. It is time for us to consider investment in our children as an investment in the future of New Zealand.

“The OECD has noted that by international standards, New Zealand has low public investment in children. For our youngest children, public investment is less than half the OECD average. The burden of child poverty in New Zealand is unevenly distributed with Maori and Pasifika making up over half of the New Zealand children living below the poverty line.

“We need concerted action to make public support for children so strong that any government would feel obliged to move on this issue. We need to contribute a loud, strong child health voice alongside the many other organisations advocating for children.

“For these reasons we are proud to be one of the organisations putting their weight behind Tick for Kids, a coordinated effort of our whole society. We support this co-ordinated approach. We need the whole community to work together to put New Zealand kids at the centre of government planning.

“The campaign encourages community action that puts pressure on political candidates. We want them to prioritise the needs of children, and articulate what they will do to improve the wellbeing of New Zealand children – and address the specific needs of Maori and Pasifika.”

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