The latest child poverty monitor report reveals that the government is meeting its targets in reducing child poverty for Pakeha children, but more targeted and focussed support is required for Pacific, Maori and Disabled children who continue to be left behind.
“The government has shown us through the pandemic they’re willing to support businesses and workers with very generous wage subsidies, but are ok to scapegoat children and families as covid collateral” says Auckland Action Against Poverty coordinator Brooke Pao Stanley.
What’s especially heart-breaking is that it continues to be marginalised communities that are left out – our Maori, Pacific and Disabled babies deserve so much better than what we’re currently doing for them. These statistics don’t even cover the impact of Covid either, so they’re likely to be worse than what was released yesterday.
What we need is a holistic health response to Covid – we need to treat health in a way that isn’t just this huge drive to get people vaccinated. We need to look at housing, at incomes, at meaningful work, at our public services we provide. Covid and climate change is revealing to us the extent of change needed, and we need to get real about it.
We believe Liveable Incomes and Universal Services can be a bridge toward a new system that’s been outlined in Matike Mai. Not only do we need to transform the welfare space, our whole imported colonial system needs to go.
