Media Statement

31 July 2007

Remember Children & Parents in Urban Environment

Local authorities need to do more to consider the needs of children and parents in their urban planning.

“While many Councils provide good access to swimming pools and public libraries there are still too many instances of major roadways acting as barriers to access for parents with young children” says Wellington City Council candidate, Roger Ellis.

“There are a number of examples where parks and playing fields are only accessable to families by way of crossing busy main roads. Often those roads have no pedestrian crossings or overbridge access ways. I appreciate that there is always competition for funds but it seems to me that children and parents have not been given a sufficiently high priority” said Mr Ellis.

Commenting on media statements today from the Every Child Counts lobby, Mr Ellis said that he agreed that Council and DHB candidates should be asked where they stand on issues related to children.

“Every candidate should be asked what priority they attach to policies which are supportive of children and of healthy families” said Mr Ellis.

“My view is that parents who are repeatedly abusive towards their children need to accept personal responsibility for their own behaviour. Too often the conditions in which such abuse occurs are drug or alcohol fuelled. Violence seems to be the norm and education is not valued. These conditions help explain the underlying problem but they are not excuses” said Mr Ellis.

“As New Zealanders we all have a responsibility to help overcome the conditions of poverty and neglect in which too many families are growing up today. Child poverty is a blight on our society and on the future prospects for our communities. It undermines the dignity of vulnerable people and it costs our nation dearly in terms of lost achievement, social division, and crime” said Mr Ellis.

ENDS -

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