Minimal change in child poverty targets as cost of living bites

Labor government’s reset of poverty targets three years later describes an admission of policy failure due to rising costs, especially of housing, National’s Children’s spokesperson Dr Shane Reti said. .

“Of the three objectives announced by the government, the new objective” before housing costs is unchanged compared to
three years ago, the targets for “post-housing costs” were moderately modified and “children in material difficulty” were only slightly modified.

“Despite big promises, the Labor Party has failed to deliver on its commitments against child poverty.

“The Prime Minister promised to lift 100,000 children out of poverty in the first term and his government has clearly failed.

“According to the latest statistics, there are now 1,500 more children living in poverty than when she took office.

“The government’s failure to tackle New Zealand’s housing crisis is hurting vulnerable New Zealanders.

“Rents have risen so much that more and more families are moving onto the State House waiting list, and there are now around 4,000 children being raised in emergency housing, regularly exposed to violence, to drug use and gangs.

“Jacinda Ardern’s government is not making life easier for struggling New Zealanders.

“We should all be happy with any reduction in the number of children living in poverty, but the statistical differences are marginal at best.”

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