Statistics Reveal Extent of Poverty in Sole Parent Families

Thursday 22 Aug 2002 Deborah Coddington Press Releases -- Other

New statistics showing rocketing poverty for sole parent families reveal thousands of New Zealand children are in a dire situation, ACT MP Deborah Coddington said today.

"My last feature article for North and South before becoming a member of parliament explored the growing incidence of sole parenting in New Zealand.

"Statistics New Zealand has today revealed that the number of New Zealand families with just one parent has climbed to three-in-ten. This has grown from one-in-ten in 1976.

"These figures also show that six-in-ten sole parent families have an annual income of less than $20,000. In comparison, only six percent of two-parent families have incomes less than $20,000.

"Many sole parents do a sterling job raising their children often under difficult circumstances and things do turn out okay. However, the pattern demonstrated by rigorous research shows that the majority of sole parents and their children are barely surviving on welfare.

"The challenge now is for United Future, which successfully campaigned for "family values", to demonstrate a commitment to moving families off welfare and into a life of independence," Miss Coddington said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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