Every Child deserves the best start in a warm, dry, secure home. This is the key message of CPAG’s campaign for healthy and affordable homes. CPAG is calling on the Government to act urgently to make sure all rental accommodation is healthy and affordable for families. Introduce and enforce a Warrant of Fitness for housing….
The Downtown Community Ministry (DCM), the Soup Kitchen, Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust, Wellington Night Shelter and The Salvation Army have joined together to raise funds for their work with homeless people and to raise awareness about Wellington City Council’s Te Mahana initiative to eradicate homelessness in the city. Collectively these organisations work with hundreds of people each year who…
The next phase of the social housing transfer process for HNZ houses in Tauranga and Invercargill beings on 31st August with a “market sounding” process. This involves organisations interested in the transfers outlining their level of interest and whether the Treasury’s proposed terns for the transactions would achieve the outcomes being sought. After this phase,…
New Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman and Associate Minister of Health Sam Lotu Iiga have re-discovered the idea of having a strategy and all of a sudden both the NZ Health Strategy and the Health of Older People Strategy are being reviewed and revised. The draft Health Strategy is now due to be released later…
The Support for Children in Hardship Bill is the legislation implementing the increases to welfare benefits announced in the Budget 2015. Public comments on this Bill are important way that politicians can hear directly the views of the public on the changes proposed. Changes proposed in this Bill are: raise work requirements for parents receiving…
Treasury continues to feel its way into the unexplored territory of selling off Housing NZ houses in Invercargill and Tauranga to non-government buyers. In series of Market Information and Feedback sessions being held around the country, Treasury and Ministry of Social Development have been sketching the outlines of the tortuous path the government has chosen…
If you are an older carer or the carer of an older person (or both), the Ministry of Social Development would like to know more about the kind of information you need to support you, what formats you would like to have this information in, and where you would like to find this information. This…
Elder Abuse and Neglect is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. Elder Abuse Awareness week begins on 15th June with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Most elder abuse tends to be…
The Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health are jointly reviewing the way in which children with severe disabilities are placed in voluntary out-of home care under the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 (Section 141 or 142). These agencies have produced a clearly written consultation document that is accompanied by a range of…
In the lead up to the 2015 Budget, organisations and networks working with children and their families are calling for real and effective action to reduce child poverty. UNICEF NZ Child Rights Advocacy Manager Deborah Morris Travers told TVNZ “We need to as a nation focus on the fact…
The Productivity Commission has published the draft report on social services and is looking for feedback on it by 24th June before it makes its final report. There are a large number of recommendations in the report about how government should go about “purchasing” the social services that are needed to achieve greater well being…
Homelessness is the sharp end of housing inequality in this country. Church social services are among those at the front line of emergency housing. The government is reviewing how it should approach emergency housing – give them your views (due by 1st May). They are seeking information from organisations providing emergency housing but also want…
Senior Citizens Minister Hon Maggie Barry released the 2014 update on the Positive Ageing Strategy at the Age Concern Conference in Wellington this week. The report looks at the 10 goals of the Strategy and asks the question – how are we doing? It is a little hard to tell when the 10 goals do…
Living wage employer La Boca Loca hosted the announcement of the 2015 revised living wage rate on 24th February. The Wellington living wage campaign supporters joined in the fun to celebrate the success of the movement in lifting wages for low income workers. We were also there to continue to our commitment to a fun-filled…
This annual celebration of neighbourliness is on again this weekend. This is a fund and simple way to get to know people in your community. Join in one of the public events being organised this Neighbours Day weekend, 28-29 March 2015 or simply take the opportunity to invite people to get together in your neighbour….