Child Poverty

Bold policy changes needed urgently to shift stagnant child poverty rates

Income Support

Families need immediate cash boost to prepare for Omicron surge, not food banks, poverty advocates warn

Income Support

Govt hardship announcement ignores children and whānau with the greatest needs

Income Support

Upcoming financial support needs to be nationwide, ongoing and backdated to start of lockdown

Latest Jump in Weekly Benefit Numbers Highest Since First Lockdown

CPAG is urging the Government to immediately increase incomes for all families needing income support.
COVID-19

Government Response to Lockdown Poverty “Inadequate” and “Sluggish”

Emergency income relief is desperately needed for vast numbers of low-income families playing their part in lockdown.

Our Poorest Families Need Protection Now – Welfare Advocates

Families are dealing with high lockdown costs due to the halt of food-in-schools programmes, reduced supermarket specials, and increased data and ...

Anti-Poverty Groups Query Budget Benefit Delay, Call For Full Increases on 1 July

The Government has given no reason why these increases have been staggered.

Government Report Shows Children Made to Suffer Unnecessarily

Due to systemic discrimination, whānau Māori, Pacific families and families with disabled members are more likely than others to be facing the toxic ...

“Shocking, Disappointing” Child Poverty Statistics Show Incrementalism Isn’t Working

We’re particularly worried as we know child poverty will have increased due to COVID-19.

Government Leaves Disadvantaged Children to Face “Most Severe” COVID-19 Effects

Children and their families are likely to face "significant and wide-ranging" negative effects from COVID-19, according to Prime Minister Jacinda ...

More Groups Join Growing Call to Govt to Replace Entrenched Poverty With Liveable Incomes

Social workers and foodbank organisers are among the latest of now 60+ groups signing an open letter to the government to ensure liveable incomes for ...

Dozens of NGOs Urge Jacinda Ardern: Raise Welfare by Christmas

Over 60 prominent organisations have joined together to urge the government to raise income support by Christmas, in order to release families from ...

ActionStation & CPAG: Poverty Set to Worsen as COVID Support Ends Tomorrow

Activists and researchers are warning toxic stress, food insecurity and isolation are set to rise for many families in poverty almost immediately, as ...

CPAG and AAAP Call for Extension of Covid Support for NZ’s Most Financially Vulnerable

Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Auckland Action Against Poverty (AAAP) are both urging the Government to immediately raise family incomes ...
COVID-19

COVID-19 Puts Families at Greater Risk of Debt Traps

Increased stress and hardship await families if the Coalition Government does not address the needs of those on low incomes, according to Ngā Tāngata ...

COVID-19 Crisis Leading to Potential Hunger Crisis

Child Poverty Action Group is releasing research today showing that families' most basic need - of having access to good food - continues to be ...

New Research Shows Current Benefits Leave Families in Poverty

Recently released research shows families who rely on benefits could find themselves hundreds of dollars short every week of what’s required to get ...

Let’s Not Divide NZers With an ‘Unfair’ Two-Tier Benefit System

The recently announced COVID-19 Income Relief Payment is creating two tiers of welfare, marginalising those already struggling under the current ...

Budget 2020 - An Opportunity Lost or Just Deferred?

On May 15 we broadcast our annual post-budget event From Lockdown to Unlocking Potential and the live Q&A online facilitated by award-winning ...

Budget Delivers Disappointment for Children in Poverty but CPAG Has Hope This Can Be Fixed

CPAG executive officer Georgie Craw says: "We hope the Government will take up the opportunity it has afforded itself to enable our nation to be the ...

Child Poverty Action Group Wants to See Children at the Heart of This Budget

Many New Zealanders have become emboldened by working for the collective good and there now seems to be a growing desire to extend kindness to each ...

We Need New Jobs for All in Post-Lockdown Recovery

CPAG believes creating separate services and duplicating existing online job seeker tools could lead to a ‘two tier system’ which could further ...

Legacy of Govt Response Should Be Fairer Society Not Fiscal Ill-Discipline

As we move out of level 4 lockdown, Child Poverty Action Group is calling on the Government to make sure the legacy of this crisis is not one of ...

Change NZ’s Welfare System Now - Before This Health Crisis Becomes a Child Poverty Crisis

CPAG is calling on the Government to take a new approach to our income support system so the impacts of Covid-19 do not lead to an increase in child ...

Let’s Move Hard and Early to Curb COVID-19-Related Poverty

Child Poverty Action Group applauds the Prime Minister's move to go hard and early to curb the spread of Covid-19 and believe the Government needs to ...

CPAG Welcomes the Rescue Package and Offers Advice for the Next Urgent Steps

Child Poverty Action Group welcomes the COVID-19 stimulus package with its recognition that benefits must be accessible and more generous.

Coronavirus Crisis Highlights the Failures of Our Welfare System

Child Poverty Action Group calls on the Government to fix the welfare system so everyone, not just the forestry workers who have lost their jobs due ...