Hon Anne Tolley

Minister for Social Development

8 October 2016
Media Statement

Minister responds to UNCROC findings

Social Development Minister Anne Tolley says the government will fully consider the recommendations made by a UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCROC).

It follows discussions between the Minister, a delegation and Committee members in Geneva last month, regarding New Zealand’s fifth periodic report under the UNCROC convention.

“I was able to highlight the real progress that our country continues to make on children’s rights, such as the overhaul of care and protection featuring the voices of children,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I also explained the $790 million child hardship package which has seen benefit rates for families rise for the first time in 43 years, alongside increased Working for Families payments and increased Childcare Assistance payments, as well as free doctors’ visits for children aged up to 13, Children’s Teams and welfare reforms which have led to more than 40,000 fewer children in benefit-dependent households.

“It’s important to provide context. Out of over 250 questions, I was asked one question by the Committee about child poverty. I acknowledged that there are too many children in hardship and outlined the important work above.

“I then took the time to go through the findings of MSD’s recent Household Incomes Report which showed that income poverty is either flat or falling, and that there has been no rise in poverty or material hardship trends for children, which the report says are either flat or falling depending on the measure used.

“New Zealand is among the best in the world at monitoring and analysing long-term data and I also explained to the Committee that child poverty is too complex and multi-faceted to use just one simplistic measure.

“It’s disappointing that the Committee appears to have ignored this detailed analysis carried out by MSD.

“We will continue to monitor trends and take necessary action, and the Household Incomes Report in 2018 will provide valuable information on the effects of the $790 million child hardship package which was introduced in April this year.

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