MEDIA STATEMENT: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

26 May 2017

Barnardos says Budget 2017 will help some children, but more needs to be done so that all New Zealand children benefit from public spending.

“Government Budgets are about choices. This includes choices about how public money is spent on children. We’re pleased to see the Government aiming to get more money to families with children. This will make a tangible difference for some families – some more than others. But in addition to targeted funding for effective, evidence-based programmes such as Family Start – which we strongly welcome – we think that Government could have made the choice to spend some of its surplus to ensure all New Zealand children benefit in their early years, on an equal basis”, says Barnardos Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Sanders.

“We continue to have some appalling statistics in New Zealand when it comes to the protection and wellbeing of our tamariki – such as our unacceptably high child poverty rate. Barnardos sees the impact of these problems every day in the work we do around New Zealand with children and their families. It’s essential that Government focuses on addressing these really tough issues, so that all children in New Zealand can shine bright.”

This Budget was an opportunity for Government to choose to build a brighter future for all New Zealand children that is transformational and visionary. “We would have liked to see Government choose to be bold and make commitments to spending on children in their early years on a universal basis, to reduce the inequality gap and to address child poverty. In that respect, this Budget is a missed opportunity.”

Sanders says that “there are positive signals from Government about what it wants to achieve for and with New Zealand children. But we’d like to see Government comprehensively focus on putting all New Zealand children at the centre of its work. After all, they’re this country’s future. One of the strongest ways it can do this is through directing public money to New Zealand children in their early years, through a universal child payment.”

“A universal approach sends a strong message about the place we want New Zealand to be for children, one in which they thrive and flourish, so they can go on to live good, productive and fulfilling lives”, says Sanders.

Anything in this media statement can be attributed to Jeff Sanders, Chief Executive Officer.

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