Child Poverty Action Group
www.cpag.org.nz
04 February 2005
Working To Eliminate Child Poverty
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has called on the government to behave like any responsible parent this election year
and put children's interests first.
"Helen Clark's government deserves credit for last year's moves to support parents in employment with improved child
care subsidies," said CPAG spokesperson Associate-Professor Mike O’Brien. “Now there is a further promise to follow the
UK lead on this issue, but the government has only looked at some of the UK approach. Their child poverty solutions
warrant much closer attention.”
Child poverty reduction in the UK is a policy goal in its own right. "CPAG challenges parties across the political
spectrum to child-proof all their policies, to ensure no child is left worse off. But this, alone, is not enough. For
every child to have a future in this country, substantial resources must be allocated to ending child poverty once and
for all" said Assoc-Prof O’Brien.
"In practice, this means work policies must give priority to and support families' non work-related needs," he said.
"Parents need to be able to have time with sick children, for example, without jeopardising either their job or their
income.
“Improving the position of employed parents is important. So, too, is the position of children whose parents are not in
paid work. It’s in the best interests of every citizen to put children first, and this means recognizing the substantial
contribution parents already make to their children’s wellbeing.
“After all, parents provide a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week on-call service to the people who will comprise our social
and economic future - and for love, rather than money. This essential, so often overlooked and undervalued contribution
must be recognised and tangibly supported by us all".
ENDS