Time for Action on Child Poverty

Nobody wants New Zealand children to grow up in poverty, but few of us feel we can do much to change the situation for the one in five kids who do. Now there’s a way you can help.

“Twenty percent of kiwi kids are raised in poverty. This is an appalling statistic,” says Peter Malcolm of Closing the Gap. “There’s no quick fix but to change this number for the better we need a government prepared to act.

“All our politicians will tell you they think child poverty is terrible. But do they have the courage to take the actions needed to fix it? Not without pressure. Sadly, politicians are more inclined to make decisions they see as popular rather than right.

“That’s why it’s important that as many people as possible sign the End Poverty In New Zealand petition that’s been put together by a number of groups who support eradicating child poverty in New Zealand.”

Timed to put pressure on the government to address child poverty issues in the budget, the petition asks the government to invest in reducing the causes of child poverty in preference to spending on mopping up the effects.

“There’s been an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff approach for far too long,” says Malcolm. “We all know it’s a rubbish approach to fixing the problem. If we are serious about not having hungry, sick, poorly housed children in this country then we need to spend money on prevention.”

Closing the Gap asks everyone concerned about inequality in New Zealand to join the campaign at www.actionstation.org.nz.

ENDS

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