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…
MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday 17 May 2018 “This Budget has not recognised the extremely dire situation that community social services are experiencing”, said Trevor McGlinchey, Executive Officer New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services. “While, we are pleased to see the initiatives which will begin to address the needs of those in our communities who are…
Disappointment that the Select Committee has not recommend changes in key areas of the Bill on scope of practice for social work was the first reaction from social workers’ organisations to the report on the Social Workers Registration Amendment Bill released on 19th April. Both the Association of Social Workers and the Public Service Association…
More good news for low income renters was the decision by Housing Minister Phil Twyford to pause all tenancy reviews for people living in public housing, which are Housing NZ or community housing where an income-related rent subsidy (IRRS) is paid. The introduction of tenancy reviews for almost all of those living in social housing…
Right Care, Right Time? The industry organisation for the aged care sector, NZACA, has described access to aged care as a “DHB lottery” based on the findings of a research report released in April. The report found older people in some DHBs had to wait six months or more longer for admission to rest home…
NZCCSS Submission on the Child Poverty Reduction Bill NZCCSS has given its support for the overall intent of the Bill which for the first time in this country’s history sets out a process for measuring and planning to reduce child poverty into legislation. Setting measures and targets in legislation to reduce child poverty is a…
Easter is fast approaching as we write this edition of Policy Watch. For Christians Easter is the most important festival of the year when we remember that the Spirit of life and love is stronger than the power of death and hatred. On the other side of despair is renewed hope, and that is what…
Media Release – 30th January 2018 “It is the right thing to do to set clear measures to reduce poverty and make Government accountable for targets to achieve this,” says NZCCSS President Ian Hutson. Setting measures to reduce child poverty is a vital step towards better lives for hundreds of thousands of children in this…
Rest homes and hospitals for older people are changing the way they design new buildings to help make them places that people can really call their ‘home’. One of the challenges older people face when moving into rest home or hospital level care is losing the sense of being at home. Now the Selwyn Foundation…
Lt. Col. Ian Hutson, Director of the Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliament Unit, is the new President of NZCSS. At the AGM held on 23rd November in Wellington past-President Lisa Woolley, who remains on Council as Vice-President, welcomed Ian into the role and, also reflected on her time as President: “over these last few…
Empowerment and Success Conference 2017 – A Brief Recap Change Happens! The conference took place only day after the confirmation of new Labour-led coalition government. Keynote speakers and presenters made some last minute updates and government speakers found their messages cast in a new political light. More than a hundred people from the community and…
In response to the release of the latest Child Poverty Monitor, Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern has re-stated her Government’s intention to legislate a set of targets and measures to reduce child poverty. “I am ambitious for all our children. They are relying on the Government to make real change, and I am prepared…