Wellbeing Budget 2019: How transformative is it? “The Wellbeing Budget is about a new approach to tackling New Zealand’s long-term challenges. It’s about a joined up government focused on building capabilities of our future generations”. Minister for Finance, Hon Grant Robertson Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi – Without foresight or…
MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday 30 May 2019 “We are encouraged by the 2019 Wellbeing Budget and see hopeful signs for the future if this beginning is more strongly built on in future Budgets”, said Trevor McGlinchey, Executive Officer, New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS). “The investment in our children, in addressing New Zealand’s mental…
MEDIA RELEASE: Friday 3rd May 2019 NZCCSS welcomes the release of the WEAG report Whakamana Tāngata: Restoring Dignity to Social Security in New Zealand. “It is wonderful to see that this report places the dignity and the mana of people at the centre of its recommendations,” says Ian Hutson, NZCCSS President. “This means providing hope…
MEDIA RELEASE: Tuesday 16th April 2019 Now is the time to make the decision to increase fairness in our tax system and close the biggest gap caused by the lack of taxes on wealth in this country, says NZCCSS. That is why we are joining with the other supporters of Tax Justice Aotearoa to urge…
Text supplied by IRD Over the last couple of months, we’ve told you about some of the upcoming changes to income tax via our ‘Changing for You’ campaign. In March 2019, Parliament passed legislation to make the income tax process for most individuals more straightforward. These changes will apply from 1 April 2019 and to…
MEDIA RELEASE: Wednesday 3 April The Statistics New Zealand release of the baseline statistics of child poverty in New Zealand is welcomed by the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS). This will provide for the measuring of future progress in the reduction of poverty for our children and their families and whānau. Relentless,…
On February 20th, NZCCSS Council members gathered to celebrate 50 years since the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services was formed. At Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, member churches, social service agencies and the public gathered to commemorate the ecumenical contribution made by NZCCSS since 1969. The Joint Day of Worship, as suggested by…
MEDIA RELEASE: Monday 25th February 2019 This is the right thing to do and the right time to do it, says NZ Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) Policy Advisor Paul Barber, in response to the new Healthy Homes Standards just released. This is about saving lives of young children and older people especially, who…
Prayer for the United Nations International Day of Social Justice & the celebration for the unity on the 50th Anniversary of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services Karakia for Social Service Agencies for the beginning of the day – Wednesday 20 February 2019 (created for use in our social service agencies – but…
MEDIA RELEASE: Friday 25 January 2019 On February 20th, the United Nations Day of Social Justice, the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services will join together with its member churches and church social services agencies in a joint worship to focus on those who are poor and marginalised in society. Joining together in prayer is a…
Community Law Centres o Aotearoa in partnership with Citizen AI has released a chatbot for people having problems with renting. “Rentbot” makes information about tenancy law more accessible to the over 2.9 million people in New Zealand who use Facebook. Rentbot is a free digital assistant to answer questions about renting, and the rights and…
The Child Poverty Reduction Bill has completed its journey through Parliament and will become law later this month when the Governor General signs off the Royal Assent. Just before this historic example of cross-party consensus is formalised as legislation, the release of the Child Poverty Monitor on 10th December gives the latest information on child…
There are many important ways that the tax and welfare systems interact, especially to support low and middle income earners and the Tax Working Group (TWG) needs to make recommendations about this in its final report. This is one of the key points raised by NZCCSS in commenting on the Interim Report of the TWG…
Community Forums in October & November: Welfare Expert Advisory Group The Welfare Expert Advisory Group was established in May this year to advise the Government on options to ensure the welfare system is accessible and fair to all New Zealanders. To ensure people have an adequate income and standard of living, are treated with and…
Harriet Payne, Alzheimers NZ Every 3 seconds, someone in the world develops dementia. Here in New Zealand, 4 out of 5 Kiwis are affected by dementia. The impact of dementia on Kiwi families and whānau is growing each year, and affects people of all ages. Dementia is one New Zealand’s most significant and growing health…