Election 2020: Health, Housing and Liveable Incomes

Election 2020

Ahead of the 2020 General Election, Child Poverty Action Group outlined its policy recommendations in the areas of incomehousing and health to better inform voters and political parties about how the next Government could most effectively reduce child poverty. 

CPAG said, “With foresight and commitment, the next Government could guarantee adequate resourcing for all children; alternatively, through neglect, the next Government might allow the crisis of child poverty to continue, or worse, it might enable scenarios of increased poverty and hardship for children to come true. The COVID-19 crisis brings serious challenges … But it also brings opportunities to implement effective responses to reduce child and whānau poverty”. 

On this page you can read CPAG’s policy recommendations, view a scorecard of the policies each party proposed, and briefings to incoming Ministers in the areas of income, housing and health.


2020 General Election policy recommendations 

Priority 1: Kia Piki Ake Te Mana Tangata: redesign the income support system  

CPAG researcher Janet McAllister says eliminating poverty starts with improving the income support system which holds back so many families. 

“Our current income support system has too often entrenched inequities, indignity and intergenerational trauma,” she says. “It penalises people in relationships and it keeps those caring for children or unable to work below the poverty line.” 

 CPAG’s vision is for an income support system which upholds the mana and dignity of all people. “Such a system would guarantee all of us an adequate standard of living regardless of our ethnicity, gender, age or relationship status,” she says. “It would protect all children and their whānau and families, including those in low-paid work.” 

Read CPAG’s full policy paper - Income Support (PDF) here 

Priority 2: Healthy homes for all - so our children grow up in warm, stable environments.  

 For all children to be guaranteed safe, affordable and secure housing, the next government must: 

  1. Stop over-incentivising private investment into rental property 

  2. Accelerate state and social house building to a target of 5000 homes a year within three years. 

  3. Continue to increase legal protection for tenants 

  4. Plan a shift away from reliance on rent subsidies to an increase in other income support programmes 

Together, these policies are designed to ensure Aotearoa New Zealand appropriately acknowledges that good housing is essential for children’s wellbeing; and treats housing as a right for all.

 Read CPAG’s full policy paper - Housing (PDF) here 

 Priority 3: A health and disability system that cherishes and supports our children. 

 CPAG Health spokesperson and paediatrician Dr Innes Asher says New Zealand needs a health and disability system that cherishes and supports our children. 
 
“CPAG believes that a strong health and disability system can contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand being the best place in the world to be a child,” she says. “And given children and their families living in poverty are at additional high risk of experiencing a range of physical and social challenges, the health system must be robust and comprehensive to ensure they are not held back by preventable illnesses.” 
 
The key recommendations include; ensuring universal health coverage up to 18-year-olds, greater wraparound services for those with disabilities and for those who are pregnant, and that the system is managed under a centralised framework. 
 
“We can’t afford to allow our high rates of hospitalisation for children, with preventable diseases to continue. New Zealand can be the best place to grow up, but it starts by making sure we have a healthcare system that matches our aspirations.” 

Read CPAG’s full policy paper - Healthcare (PDF) here 


Election scorecard 

To inform voters about which policies would most effectively reduce child poverty, CPAG produced an election scorecard which showed our assessment of the efficacy of the parties’ proposed income, housing and health policies.  

CPAG election scorecard for the 2020 election. The image shows which party policies alleviate income poverty for children, achieve housing security for children and ensure the health system provides equitable health outcomes for children.

 Briefings to incoming Ministers  

In late 2020 and early 2021, CPAG produced briefings to incoming Ministers across our three priority areas – income support, housing and health. 

2020 Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Income Support (Dec 2020)  

2021 Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Housing (Feb 2021)  

2021 Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Health (Jan 2021)  


Campaign Items

Anti-Poverty Groups to Labour: Election Results Mean No More Excuses

Child Poverty Action Group, ActionStation and Auckland Action Against Poverty are calling on the new government to follow through quickly on their ...

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 Calls for Political Parties to Take Child Poverty Seriously This Election

This election offers a unique opportunity to reshape New Zealand’s society so child poverty is dramatically reduced and possibly even eliminated.

Greens’ Proposals Would Lift Families Out of Poverty - CPAG

The Child Poverty Action Group welcomes the Greens’ Poverty Action Plan released yesterday, as the type of step-change New Zealand needs.

2020 Election Policy Scorecard

CPAG’s election scorecard shows our assessment of the efficacy of announced party policies in our election priority areas of income adequacy, housing ...
CPAG
Election 2020

2020 Briefing to the Incoming Minister: Income Support

Incomes

Our policy priorities to reduce child poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand: Housing

Housing