What We Do

Our Vision

An Aotearoa where all children flourish, free from poverty. 


Our focus on children

We focus on eliminating poverty for children because:

  • Overall effects of poverty are worse for children - Child development is adversely affected by poverty, and can lead to detrimental effects for an entire life.

  • Children are more likely to experience poverty - Children are over-represented among those in deprived households.

  • Children don’t get a say - Decisions affecting children are made without their input; state democracy involves only adults.

Our mission

Founded in 1994, the Child Poverty Action Group is an independent, registered charity working to eliminate child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand through research, education and advocacy.

Our work

We produce research about the causes and effects of poverty on children and their whānau and families, and use this to inform public discussion and promote evidence-based responses.

CPAG is funded entirely by grants from charitable trusts and donations from the public. Our members across New Zealand include leading academics, doctors, teachers, health workers, community workers and many others.

Our work covers issues such as health, housing, education, taxation, disability, employment and income support.

Child Poverty Action Group does not provide services directly to families, instead we focus on influencing policy and debate to create lasting change. If you are in need of assistance, please visit the Family Services Directory to find contact details of service providers in your local area.


Our analysis

Aotearoa New Zealand’s high rates of child poverty are not the result of economic necessity, but are due to policy decisions and neglect.

Ongoing colonisation, racism, sexism and discrimination – including systemic racism and monoculturalism as well as personal prejudice and bias – contribute to the country’s inequity, including for children and their families.

Most children experiencing poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand are Pākehā. However, whānau Māori, as well as Pacific families and other non-Pākehā ethnicities, experience higher than average rates of income poverty and material hardship, as do disabled children and children with disabled family members. It does not have to be this way, and we have the power to change this.

We envisage an Aotearoa where our society shows respect, generosity and care for all children.

Our Values

Children should be at the heart of all our decisions as a society. 

The Child Poverty Action Group’s kaupapa is underpinned by four pou: 

  • Mana – We acknowledge and uphold the mana of all children. 

  • Manaakitanga – We believe that our society should show respect, generosity and care for all children as taonga. 

  • Kotahitanga - We work collectively to uphold the mana of all children and to ensure they flourish. 

  • Mātauranga – We believe that child-centered knowledge is essential to upholding their mana and enabling them to thrive. 

The guiding principle of Child Poverty Action Group is the right of every child to security, food, shelter, education and healthcare. This is underpinned by the values encapsulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. 


He kai tahu me kikini, he kai tahu me tīhore, mā te tamaiti te iho:

Pinch off a bit, peel off a bit, the inside is for the child (said of the potted bird).


Our Support

We are supported by donations from generous New Zealanders, trusts, and foundations. See Our Partners.

Our commitment to honouring te Tiriti O Waitangi 

Child Poverty Action Group acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa, and seeks to honour and uphold te Tiriti O Waitangi.   


Our History

1993

Things begin moving

For Suffrage Centennial year Epsom Girls Grammar School held a series of workshops that brought together two of CPAG’s founding members: Susan St John (who was the guest speaker) and Janfrie Wakim. They formed a small group of people alarmed by the effects the 1991 ‘Mother of All Budgets’ was having on children.

1993

1994

CPAG begins meeting

Modelled on the Child Poverty Action Group in the UK, the group began meeting formally in 1994 to discuss how child poverty could be eliminated in Aotearoa.

1996

CPAG publishes its first research and policy documents

CPAG published four pieces of research in 1996, including pieces on housing for low-income families, an analysis of party policies for the 1996 election, and a successful challenge to IRD for an advertisement with false information about child support. Undertaking and publishing research, as well as making submissions on proposed legislation and highlighting the consequences for children and families has been a significant focus for CPAG. Initially this work was undertaken by volunteer academics and others in their spare time, and later augmented by employed researchers as funds allowed. CPAG publications and submissions can be found here.

1998

CPAG became an incorporated society and a registered charity 

The inaugural Management Committee elected was Dee Parks (Convenor), Alison Blaiklock, Claire Dale, Janet Lake, Sharon Milne, Joan Macdonald, Michael O’Brien, Susan St John and Janfrie Wakim.   

2001

Post-Budget Breakfasts begin 

In 2001 CPAG held its first Post-Budget Breakfast at the Auckland City Mission. The Post-Budget Breakfast is now an annual event, with multiple events held across New Zealand. Every year CPAG examines the Government’s budget through a child-focused lens. CPAG’s analysis has often led to increased media attention on child poverty, and attracted many high-profile speakers, audience members and appreciation from organisations working actively to relieve the effects of poverty.   

2001

2002

CPAG challenges the Government under the Human Rights Act 

11 years of legal proceedings began when CPAG lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission about the discriminatory nature of the Child Tax Credit. CPAG argued the Child Tax Credit discriminated against the children of families who derived any part of their income from a benefit and suggested the Child Tax Credit (as a child-based payment) should be extended to all low-income families with children.  

2003

CPAG publishes landmark housing report

CPAG’s landmark report Room for Improvement examined New Zealand housing policies and their implications for our children.

CPAG continues to make ongoing suggestions to improve housing policies, especially as the situation has worsened over the last decade.

2004

Cut Price Kids

The publication ‘Cut Price Kids’ was launched at the St Columba Centre by Ngāti Whātua kaumatua Takutai Wikiriwhi . Cut Price Kids was a significant publication which analysed the just introduced Working For Families Budget and entrenched the discrimination of the Child Tax Credit, then renamed the In Work Tax Credit.

2005

CPAG at the centre of an important human rights legal precedent 

In 2005 the Crown attempted to halt the Human Rights Act proceedings, on the discriminatory nature of the Child Tax Credit, on the grounds that CPAG was not directly affected by the Child Tax Credit and therefore was a non-affected party. Both the Human Rights Tribunal and the High Court rejected the Crown’s claim.   

CPAG proceeded with the case which remains a critical human rights law precedent as it affirms the right of non-governmental organisations to challenge policy on behalf of others without the organisation itself needing to be directly affected.   

2005

2010

CPAG holds a public forum: Rethinking welfare for the 21st century

In September 2010 Child Poverty Action Group held a public forum at the University of Auckland, called Rethinking welfare for the 21st century.

The purpose of the forum was not simply to be reactive to current welfare policies and the Government’s established Welfare Working Group, but to begin a proper debate fitting for the 21st Century.

The forum was a great success and CPAG has since held many more summits, some held in Wellington.

2011

CPAG advocacy helps bring in free GP visits

After 11 years of advocacy by CPAG and others, GP visits became free for children under 6 years in 2011.

Since Nov 2018 GP visits for children under 14 have been free. Read more about our efforts here.

2011

2011

Major documentary shines spotlight on child poverty  

CPAG research and members were involved in Bryan Bruce’s child poverty documentary ‘Inside Child Poverty’, which aired the week before the 2011 election, helping to make it one of the most significant election issues of 2011

2012

CPAG’s decade-long battle over discriminatory law reaches its zenith in the Court of Appeal  

The Court of Appeal judges agreed that discrimination of the Child Tax Credit, named the In work Tax Credit in 2004, was proven but found it was justified on the grounds the intent was to incentivise sole parents to work.

Although disheartened with the outcome, the case kept child poverty on the public and political agenda and is considered a landmark human rights case in New Zealand. CPAG decided an appeal to the Supreme Court was fruitless and terminated the legal route to end the discrimination inherent in the implementation of the In-Work Tax Credit.

2012

2013

CPAG supports the Child Poverty Monitor

CPAG supports the Child Poverty Monitor by presentations at launches.

2014

CPAG takes further steps to end child poverty 

Over the years CPAG has been involved in a number of action-orientated events.  On 6 September 2014 more than 1500 people marched up Auckland’s Queen Street to demand action on child poverty. The hikoi was blessed by Ngāti Whātua Orākei and was held in partnership with the Tick for Kids campaign to raise awareness of child poverty in the lead up to the 2014 general election.  

2014

2015

A petition to end child poverty

CPAG participated in the End Child Poverty online campaign, launched in collaboration with ActionStation, UNICEF, NZ Council of Christian Social Services, the Inequality Network and Tick 4 Kids. The campaign succeeded in its goal of putting child poverty at the centre of the political debate in the lead up to Budget 2015, with more than 15000 signatures received.  

This was clear evidence of public opinion that more should be done to reduce child poverty in New Zealand. This combined effort was a first for CPAG and proved to be a significant lesson in the power of social media to create people-powered change and provided the encouragement for CPAG to engage with the public more through this medium. 

2015

CPAG focuses on healthy and affordable homes for all

In the winter of 2015, housing issues were slowly gaining media and political traction and CPAG wanted to bring attention to the poor-quality and unaffordable houses many low-income families were living in. CPAG launched a campaign for healthy and affordable homes. 

Following this campaign, CPAG was part of the Hikoi for Homes event with the key message “everyone deserves a home”. Auckland Action Against Poverty, First Union, UNITE and other organisations also joined the initiative. Hikoi were held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and attracted a lot of media attention.   

2015
2016

2016

CPAG shines a light on the inadequacies of the Working for Families tax credit scheme  

Based on 10 years of evidence-based research, CPAG launched the Fix Working for Families campaign. The campaign argued that Working for Families was not meeting its fundamental purpose of supporting families with the extra cost of raising children and the tax credit system should be a buffer for all low-income families against the vagaries of the economy and job markets.  

2016

Park up for homes 

Park Up For Homes was an initiative started by a small group of friends in Mangere, who decided to rally together in a show of solidarity with those who were living in a car or garage that winter. Through the group’s connection with Alan Johnson, CPAG readily supported the cause.   

The #ParkUpForHomes movement saw over 2000 people rally together over nine locations to sleep in their cars. They called for all kiwis to have a safe, warm home to live in and developed greater public awareness of the severity of the housing crisis and the true extent of families living in cars, garages and other unsafe housing.  

2016

2017

CPAG renews efforts to incorporate Māori values into our mahi 

With the generous support of Dr Hirini Kaa and Michael Tamihere CPAG developed a better understanding of Te Ao Māori and strengthened our commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi. CPAG adopted the four pou of mana, manaakitanga, kotahitanga, matauranga.

2017

Labour-led government responds to sustained child poverty reduction advocacy

A Minister for Child Poverty Reduction is named. The Child Poverty Reduction Act is developed and passed the following year by cross party support (except the ACT party).

2019

NCEA fees scrapped

Advocacy begun by CPAG in 2002 (The irony of NCEA) results in NCEA fees being abolished.

2020

CPAG holds the government to account

Throughout 2020 and 2021 CPAG made a sustained effort to hold the government to account over its lack of implementation of the recommendations of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group. You can read more about our efforts here.

2020
2023

2023