No. 172, 1 September 2005
How to reduce child poverty?
Police and public confidence
Essay competition: the separation of church and state
New political forums
How to reduce child poverty?
This week the Every Child Counts coalition released its ratings of party policies according to how they would affect
children. The Greens won the loudest praise for their goal of eliminating 'child poverty' by 2010, with National and
Labour lagging behind.
Everyone wants the best for children and Every Child Counts is right to highlight the importance of the next generation
and the legacy we leave them. Sound policy considers long-term effects, and certainly children are part of that future.
In New Zealand, the concept of 'child poverty' as defined by Every Child Counts is relative, not absolute. Therefore, if
every person in NZ was given $10 000 tomorrow, and the cost of living did not rise, the number of children in 'poverty'
would not decrease, because 'child poverty' is normally measured against median incomes. Effective poverty reduction
will include short-term assistance and work towards long-term sustainability. It will address the factors contributing
to a family's situation and whether it is actually improving, hopefully, to the point that a family can overcome their
dependence.
A family's economic situation depends on many factors, including the often overlooked family structure. Family breakdown
often damages the wealth of a family, and certainly inhibits its ability to be economically independent. The children
are likely to suffer, either financially and/or emotionally. It is important to consider how political party policies
will help children in poor situations, but the contribution of policies to family breakdown cannot be ignored. Even
then, the genuine wellbeing of children rests primarily in the hands of parents, whanau and communities, not state
agencies.
Police and public confidence
It should be no surprise that frontline police do not believe their own statistics on the level of crime in New Zealand.
The reported fall in recorded crime is misleading. If crime is falling, why do we need to keep increasing the number of
police? Crime is increasing, but much now goes unreported, particularly minor crimes. Some police even claim they do not
report thefts of their own property. According to Senior Constable Craig Prior in Christchurch, criminals admitted 100
car break-ins during one night, but only three owners complained.
The problem is not so much an inefficient or inadequate police force, but rather a crisis in the belief that justice
will be done. In any democracy, that is deadly. It is a truism that justice must be done and be seen to be done. But
that can only happen in a nation that really understands the connection between private virtue (responsibility) and the
will to punish and prevent crime. Confidence in crime prevention, reporting and punishment is a direct consequence of a
policeman in each citizen's head, or even better, in each citizen's heart. The dynamic of trust between the police and
the ordinary citizen is critical.
In New Zealand, we need to re-learn the sovereignty of freedom that previous generations so strenuously worked for, our
inheritance from the Judeo-Christian worldview and common law. If we work for it we will own it. It is that ownership
that gives good order to a nation.
Essay competition: the separation of church and state
The tension that exists between church and state has rested uneasily throughout the two millennia since Jesus of
Nazareth responded to questions from the Roman Imperium and the Jewish rabbis, saying: "render to Caesar the things that
are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's". Church and state both lay claim to the loyalty of the hearts and
minds of men, but when the church is absorbed by the state we get totalitarianism.
A clue to any resolution is to consider the unique claims of each institution. A state claims the right to use force -
in gathering taxes, policing order and defending the realm. A church claims access to transcendent truth - in human
purpose, conscience and nature. As Alexis de Tocqueville rightly said, "Though it is very important for man as an
individual that his religion should be true, that is not the case for society. Society has nothing to fear or hope from
another life." Although, it should be added, society has much to fear if it fails to be just.
Tertiary students entering the Centre for Tomorrow's Leaders Essay Competition will be considering the issue of the
separation of church and state as they compete for the first prize of $2000. Further details of the competition, which
closes on Friday 23 September, can be found online, at: http://www.maxim.org.nz/essay
New political forums
With just over two weeks until the general election, make sure you know what you are voting for, by attending a
political forum near you. Maxim Institute 2005 Political Forums taking place in the coming week include:
Maungaturoto Saturday, 3 September
Dargaville Saturday, 3 September
Palmerston North Monday, 5 September
Greenlane, Auckland Tuesday, 6 September
Wellington Tuesday, 6 September
Gisborne Wednesday, 7 September
Wainuiomata Thursday, 8 September
For details of where and what time these great events will be held, visit: http://www.maxim.org.nz/events
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - Voltaire (1694-1778)
Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference.