Every Child Counts welcomes focus on child poverty

Every Child Counts* is pleased that relieving child poverty is on the agenda this election year and calls on all other parties to do the right thing by children, and by the nation, to agree a long term solution to eradicate child poverty.

“The Green Party promise announced today would bring 100,000 children out of poverty by 2014. This is a great start, but figures released yesterday show that up to 270,000 children are living in poverty and that Māori and Pasifika children are disproportionately affected so comprehensive policies are needed to change things for all of these children,” said Deborah Morris-Travers.

“Poverty impacts significantly on the health and education of these children, resulting in long-term social and economic costs. There is plenty of evidence to show that dealing with child poverty saves the country billions in downstream costs for health, justice, welfare and remedial education

“There is a need for all political parties to focus on this issue and identify the policies they’ll pursue to lift the living standards of all of these vulnerable children. The Greens policy is a step in the right direction.

“The damage to children caused by poverty is a matter all New Zealanders should take seriously. It’s not only economic good sense to address this issue – it is the right thing to do. It is never a child’s fault that they do not have what is the necessary to give them the good start in life that they need,” said Ms Morris-Travers.

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