Make a submission due 23 May Another step to improve renting is being taken with a new law on the way that will ban letting fees. Usually charged as the equivalent of one week’s rent on top of the usual 4 weeks rent as bond and 2 weeks rent in advance, these fees are an…

Mental Health and Addiction Inquiry The Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction is also looking for public comment. Head of this Inquiry is Ron Paterson and he is wanting the inquiry to get feedback as widely as possible. Paterson says that listening well to a wide range of communities and stakeholders is important for…

Tax Working Group 2018 Paul Barber, NZCCSS Policy Advisor Tax is one of the ways that we as citizens of this country relate to each other. We seek to bring more justice and fairness to our communities, because we are all connected and interdependent. The wellbeing of all of us is bound up with the…

It is great that inequality, poverty and housing are central issues for people in this election. Which policies are most likely to make good progress toward a fair and more equal share of income & wealth? The Equality Network has released a scorecard with star ratings of income, housing, tax and other policies…

The Equality Network is asking for politicians to commit to a truly free education, which will benefit all children, irrespective of their household incomes. Members of the Equality Network, a non-partisan network of 37 members united by the vision of a more equal Aotearoa New Zealand, say that the hidden costs of education are putting…

Media release 23rd August 2017 A fairer approach to tax would mean more could be done to help those in need. Bringing in a higher tax rate on the highest incomes could provide the resources needed to lift kiwi’s out of poverty – a way to help those facing hard times get back on their…

We need politicians to show a courageous vision in order to turn the housing crisis into a housing opportunity. We need to build genuinely affordable homes that stay in the hands of hard working New Zealanders. This is one message shared by Kate Day, advocate from the Anglican Diocese of Wellington, in the video below….

Take Action One simple change to reduce poverty and inequality would be to pay a Child Tax Credit to all the nearly 200,000 children living on homes where no-one is in paid work. Watch and share this video where Wellington GP Pauline Horrill talks about what it is like for one of her patients, a…

Today the Equality Network (EN) – a group of 37 members (including NZ Council of Christian Social Services) that are united against inequality, released an election statement. The statement outlines three key ideas for a fairer country, ideas that the EN believe should be enacted immediately. These are: Income for all that provides the necessities…

An entirely unscientific collection of dates and events that we have heard about and think others might want to know about as well… Keep an eye on other events happening in our sector under News – Events category of our website Tick4Kids Events Calendar is a wonderful place to find events around the country designed…

Scoop.co.nz is hosting an interactive HiveMind exploration on the topic of housing affordability. This is an opportunity for you to think about and share your perspectives on this issue and what, if anything, needs to be done. HiveMind runs until 9th July on the Scoop website. The Scoop ‘Polis’ method lets you have your say…

      Following on from our successful collaboration in 2014, the NZ Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) and Community Networks Aotearoa (CNA) are together again for our joint conference in October 2017. The conference, entitled Empowerment & Success: A Positive Path for the NGO Sector, will take place on the 26th and 27th of October at the Quality…

World Elder Abuse Awareness Week 15 – 22 June ‘Elder Abuse Hits Close to Home‘ is the theme of 2017 Elder Abuse Awareness Week. Age Concern tells us that this theme was was chosen to highlight the fact that thousands of older New Zealanders are being financially, psychologically and physically abused by their own adult…

INVITATION NEW ZEALAND COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN SOCIAL SERVICES BUDGET BREAKFAST Wellington – May 29: 8.00 – 9.00am Venue: St Andrews on the Terrace Hall Christchurch – May 31: 7.00 to 8.30 am Venue: Knox Church Hall Bealey Ave Budget Briefing provided by Hon Steven Joyce with a special focus on social services and social investment….