Restatement of welfare principles called for

WELLINGTON: A new Child Poverty Action Group report alleges ‘‘further fraying of the welfare safety net’’.

The group first reported in 2008 on how policy changes had thwarted the original intent of New Zealand’s social welfare system.

On Sunday it released an updated report that came after a government package to tackle child poverty.

‘‘We hope this report aids the understanding of the magnitude of the task ahead,’’ Associate Prof Susan St John, the economics spokeswoman for CPAG, said.

She said New Zealand’s wel fare system was created to provide a decent standard of living for all New Zealanders in times of need.

She said the new Government would make some longoverdue improvements to family tax credits, and a review of the welfare system was promised.

‘‘At the outset, a restatement of New Zealand’s welfare state purpose and principles is needed to guide a complete overhaul.’’

She said child poverty had become normalised, with 210,000 children living in households below the 50%afterhousingcosts poverty line and 140,000 below the even lower 40% line.

On Friday, National’s finance spokesman, Steven Joyce, called on Labour to come clean on exactly how many additional children would be lifted out of poverty by their Families Package.

On Three’s The Nation programme on Saturday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the package was just the starting point.

‘‘One of the things we’re really wanting to do is commit future Parliaments and future parties to setting targets around this issue.’’

‘‘Do I want to lift every child out of poverty? Yes, I do,’’ she said. — NZN