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…
MEDIA RELEASE: Tuesday 25th September 2018 NZCCSS welcomes the announcement today that Oranga Tamariki social workers have reached agreement on a pay equity settlement. “Recognition of the value of social work in supporting family, whānau and community wellbeing is long overdue. However, it is critical pay rates for NGO social workers are not left behind”,…
MEDIA RELEASE: Tuesday 18th September 2018 Social Security System Fit for the next 80 years – lift incomes and enable participation Eighty years after the introduction of the first comprehensive social security laws in New Zealand in 1938, our country is once again taking on the challenge of designing a welfare system that will meet…
A Decade Overdue: the need for regulation of property management in New Zealand Anglican Advocacy in Christchurch released this damning report on the antics of the property management industry on 28th August. Tenants and property owners shared their stories of how property managers have broken the law or failed to provide even the most basic…
media release Monday 27th august 2018 “Today is another step towards a more just and fair rental market, especially for the tens of thousands of people struggling with high rents and low incomes,” says New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) Policy Advisor Paul Barber. “We are delighted to see that the Government is…
Haumaru Housing Celebrates First Year of Operation Haumaru Housing is a partnership between Auckland Council and The Selwyn Foundation operating 62 villages across Auckland with more than 1400 units for older people. It is a not-for-profit NGO that retains all earnings to invest in the people and properties to the benefit of the local neighbourhoods….
Grainne Moss, the CEO of Oranga Tamariki, told groups at the national provider Focus on The Future Hui on 28th June that organisations contracted through the department will receive a 1.3% funding increase from 1 July 2018. This funding has been made available from Oranga Tamariki operational budget after no increases to NGO funding were…
Review of New Zealand’s consumer credit regulation The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is seeking feedback on proposals to strengthen the controls on high-cost credit (such as pay day lenders, truck shops). There are proposals covering five main areas and NZCCSS supports change for stronger regulation and control of lending in all of them….
The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) welcomes the launch today of the Renters United Plan To Fix Renting. For many years NZCCSS and other community based have been calling for better rental laws. Our member social services report the desperate situations that many people on low incomes find themselves in. “NZCCSS members…