“Today paves the way for us to confront a dark chapter of our national history by acknowledging what happened to people in state care, and in the care of faith-based institutions, and to learn the lessons for the future” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Tēnā koutou and welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the…
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…
International Day of Older Persons 2018 Seniors who are champions for human rights are the focus of celebrations for the 2018 International Day of Older Persons. In New Zealand Minister for Seniors Hon Tracey Martin named equal pay campaigner Kristine Bartlett, 2018 New Zealander of the Year, and justice reform campaigner Kim Workman, 2018 Senior…
Healthy Homes Guarantee Standards Consultation Another chance to help improve renting is the consultation on the rules about insulation, heating, moisture, ventilation and draught-stopping that will be set under the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act. With nearly 600,000 rental households including more than 200,000 children, it is vital that the warmth and dryness of our house…
Some ideas for first steps towards better taxing income on capital were a feature of the interim report of the Tax Working Group (TWG) released on 19th September. The TWG is asking for feedback over the next few weeks on two options as it prepares it final report, as well as the other interim findings….
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…
Kia Pike Ake – Welfare Expert Advisory Group The Kia Pike Ake The Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG) was established by the Minister for Social Development Hon Carmel Sepuloni in June 2018 to conduct a review of the social welfare system. The government describes its vision for welfare as: “A welfare system that ensures people…
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…
A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for”. Anonymous Tēnā koutou and welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the latest news, research and policy developments relevant to the NZCCSS mission to work for a just and…
Positive Ageing Strategy Consultation – ends 24th August How do we plan together as a country for the impact of our ageing population? The combination of a lower birth rate and people enjoying longer lives means that the structure of our population is in the middle of a massive shift. In 20 years’ time there…
Treasury Proposed Living Standards Dashboard Paul Barber, NZCCSS Policy Advisor The NZ Treasury has been tasked by Finance Minister Grant Robertson with preparing a Wellbeing Budget in May 2019. To guide this approach Treasury is working together with StatsNZ to design a Living Standards Framework for Monitoring Intergenerational Wellbeing. NZCCSS is part of the Equality…
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…
Mā tāu rourou, me tāku rourou ka ora ai te iwi With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive Tēnā koutou and welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the latest news, research and policy developments relevant to the NZCCSS mission to work for a just and compassionate society…