“When we begin to believe that there is greater joy in working with and for others, rather than just for ourselves, then our society will truly become a place of celebrations” Jean Vanier (1928 -2019), humanist, philosopher, theologian and advocate for humanity Welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the latest news, research and…
Community Housing Aotearoa, the Salvation Army, the Housing Foundation and Habitat for Humanity are working together on the KiwiBuy campaign to persuade the government to put more resources into shared ownership and progressive home ownership products that can help more kiwis own an affordable home. Using shared ownership and progressive home ownership models, community-based housing provides…
Help shape the Action Plan for 2019-2023 The Government is hosting meetings across the country in July and August to discuss what priorities it should focus on for family carers for the new Carers’ Strategy Action Plan. For the first time issues such as paid family care will be on the table for the Carers’…
Wellbeing Budget 2019: How transformative is it? “The Wellbeing Budget is about a new approach to tackling New Zealand’s long-term challenges. It’s about a joined up government focused on building capabilities of our future generations”. Minister for Finance, Hon Grant Robertson Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi – Without foresight or…
MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday 30 May 2019 “We are encouraged by the 2019 Wellbeing Budget and see hopeful signs for the future if this beginning is more strongly built on in future Budgets”, said Trevor McGlinchey, Executive Officer, New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS). “The investment in our children, in addressing New Zealand’s mental…
“Having enough income to meet our needs and being treated with respect and understanding is a basic human right. As a society we cannot afford to demean the human dignity of another” Community Social Worker Sr Margaret Martin from Wiri in South Auckland, and NZCCSS Council member. Welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting…
MEDIA RELEASE: Friday 3rd May 2019 NZCCSS welcomes the release of the WEAG report Whakamana Tāngata: Restoring Dignity to Social Security in New Zealand. “It is wonderful to see that this report places the dignity and the mana of people at the centre of its recommendations,” says Ian Hutson, NZCCSS President. “This means providing hope…
“See with the eyes of love and a thing becomes beautiful. See with the eyes of hate and things are ugly.” Joy Cowley, Starbright and the Dream Eater Welcome to the latest Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the latest news, research and policy developments relevant to NZCCSS’ core mission to work for a just and compassionate society…
Text supplied by IRD Over the last couple of months, we’ve told you about some of the upcoming changes to income tax via our ‘Changing for You’ campaign. In March 2019, Parliament passed legislation to make the income tax process for most individuals more straightforward. These changes will apply from 1 April 2019 and to…
MEDIA RELEASE: Wednesday 3 April The Statistics New Zealand release of the baseline statistics of child poverty in New Zealand is welcomed by the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS). This will provide for the measuring of future progress in the reduction of poverty for our children and their families and whānau. Relentless,…
Tuhia ki te rangi Tuhia ki te whenua Tuhia ki te ngākau o ngā tāngata Ko te mea nui ko te aroha Write it in the sky, write in the earth, write it in the heart of the people, the greatest thing is love. The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) is deeply…
“Ki a koutou katoa kua tae mai, ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa nō hea, nau mai ki tēnei hāhi, ki tēnei karakia, hei whakanui te tau rima tekau o NZCCSS To all of you have come today, no matter who you are or where you come from, welcome to this Church, to this service, to commemorate…
MEDIA RELEASE: Monday 25th February 2019 This is the right thing to do and the right time to do it, says NZ Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) Policy Advisor Paul Barber, in response to the new Healthy Homes Standards just released. This is about saving lives of young children and older people especially, who…
“Ultimately it is our humanity, not the absence of it, that is the true source of economic growth and a flourishing civilisation”. Nicky Hanauer, commenting on the 2018 Oxfam Report. Happy 2019 and welcome to the Policy Watch e-letter highlighting the latest news, research and policy developments relevant to the NZCCSS mission to work for…
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…