5 March, 2026

You can jump to the section most relevant to your work:

• Tō Tātou Rāngai | Our Sector
• TōTātou Whakauru | Our Membership
• Ōritetanga me te whakaurunga | Equity & Inclusion
• Kaumātua | Older People 
• Tamariki | Children 
• Tenancy

The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) supports our member organisations who have been raising concerns about the recently announced ‘move on’ orders that will give Police the power to move rough sleepers from town centres.

We call on the Government to cease this punitive proposal and show compassion by investing in more services and affordable housing for people living on the streets.

See more on ‘move on’ orders in the Equity and Inclusion section below.

Pōneke Against Move-Ons

Wellingtonians are invited to stand together against Move-On orders at a breakfast and community hui next Wednesday. 

Time: Wednesday 11 March, 7.30am-9am
Place: St Peter’s Anglican Church, 211 Willis St
More info here

Conference!

The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) and our partners Community Networks Aotearoa are really pleased to announce that tickets are on sale for our joint conference: Connecting for Change!

Dates: Tuesday 28th July – Wednesday 29th July 2026
Venue: Black & Gold Harbourside Function Venue, Wellington

Register now for the early-bird discount. NZCCSS members receive a special rate. (Email [email protected] to check your membership status.)

For more information and to register, CLICK HERE

Updates to our communication

We are changing the way we connect with you and our member organisations!

• Quarterly Bulletin: Our newsletter will be changing to a quarterly bulletin. This will provide fulsome updates on our work and what is going on in the sector. We will also send updates in between bulletins as key issues arise. As a current subscriber of our newsletter, you will automatically receive these bulletins.
• Monthly member update: All our member organisations will now receive monthly updates more targeted to their needs. This will include updates on policy changes for government, funding information and opportunities to contribute to active submissions and engagement.  As a newsletter subscriber, you will not automatically receive these updates. If you would like to make sure you receive these monthly updates please click on the button below.

State of Nation report indicates worsening situation in past year

Increases in child poverty, unemployment, food insecurity and homelessness are some of the concerning trends highlighted in The Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit’s annual State of the Nation report released in February.

The 2026 report is broken down into 6 key areas: Children and Youth, Work and Incomes, Crime and Punishment, Social Hazards and Māori wellbeing. Of the 26 indicators measured across these key areas, 13 had worsened over the last year.

The full report and interactive dashboard are available here.

This free, public event will include lunch and a panel discussion followed by the opportunity to view the Listen Up! Seniors Take a Stand on Housing photo exhibition by David Cook.

Time: Wednesday 25 March, 12pm-1.00pm
Place: Loaves and Fishes Hall, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul, 2 Hill St, Thorndon

For more info and to register, CLICK HERE before Tuesday 17 March

Grief centre webinars

This webinar focuses on how to work confidently and respectfully with the spiritual lives of Rainbow community members in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Presenter: David Sander
Live webinar: Tuesday 17 March, 1 pm – 3 pm NZDT 

BOOK HERENZCCSS members receive a 10% discount.
Email [email protected] for the discount code.

Explore how dementia shapes grief and learn practical, compassionate strategies that support the dignity and emotional needs of bereaved individuals living with dementia.

Presenter: Kathy McIlwain
Live webinar: Tuesday 31 March, 1pm – 3pm NZDT

BOOK HERE   NZCCSS members receive a 10% discount.
Email [email protected] for the discount code.

Move On Orders

Recently the Government announced that it will be amending the Summary Offences Act to grant police the ability to enforce Move On Orders across Aotearoa.

The orders can be applied to anyone 14 years and over who is sleeping rough, begging or displaying behaviour indicating they plan to inhabit a public place. They will be required to leave that place for up to 24 hours or risk a fine of up to $2000 or three months in prison.

Previously the Government had advised that any such legislation would not be introduced until there were supports in place for those sleeping rough. It has since been announced that police will decide what support people require. 

According to Minister of Police Mark Mitchell, “Police have the expertise to assess and determine what support is required, if any – they do this every day.”  

This legislation change provides an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach, with no actual solutions to the increase in rough sleeping, or supports for people in need.

Proceeds of crime

The Proceeds of Crime Fund was established as part of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 and consists of cash and assets that have been obtained through police seizures. The fund supports initiatives that reduce violent crime either by addressing organised crime or preventing crime escalating to violent crime.

Eligible agencies can apply for funding directly, with non-eligible organisations able to partner with eligible agencies for an application.

The next funding round opens on Monday 30 March with applications due by 5pm, 29 May 2026.

Nationwide 3G network shutdown

Mobile network providers are planning to shut down 3G networks by the end of March 2026. This will impact calls, texts, mobile data and the ability to call 111 from any phones relying on 3G networks, including older and/or imported phones.

If you are supporting someone who thinks they may be impacted, they can text “3G” to 550 to check. This service is completely free and works across all networks.

If you are supporting someone whose phone relies on 3G and they cannot afford to upgrade, or may lose access to essential services, please help them contact their mobile provider, or contact Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa at [email protected] or phone 022 171 9278.

Win for aged care in latest infrastructure plan

An unexpected but welcome inclusion in the country’s first National Infrastructure Plan released last week, is the listing of “hospital investment for an ageing population” as a top priority.

The Infrastructure Commission’s plan sets out 16 recommendations across 10 priorities to address the country’s ‘formidable’ infrastructure issues over the next decade.

With older people being a majority user of healthcare services, the first key action of “resourcing primary care providers and expanding community-based…options” is of particular interest.

NZCCSS welcomes this action recommendation as it mirrors what we and others in the sector have been advocating for some time now. Community-based aged residential care is key infrastructure and must be included in such plans.

We warmly welcome the inclusion and look forward to seeing how the government engages with these key actions to make them a reality.

Read more about the National Infrastructure Plan here.

Total mobility calling for feedback

The Total Mobility Scheme helps people with long-term disability to travel when public transport is not an option for them. It pays part of the cost of taxis in order to support people to remain independent and engaged. Approximately 75% of all Total Mobility users are over the age of 65, and demand for the service is growing.

The Ministry of Transport is seeking feedback on proposals to strengthen the service and ensure that it is functional and sustainable.

For more information and to access the survey, see the Ministry of Transports consultation page here.

Support research on Chronic Non-Cancer Pain assessment and management

Are you a healthcare professional involved in managing chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) in older adults? The University of Auckland invites you to take part in a research study exploring how clinicians like you assess and manage CNCP, and how you view the potential of AI-based tools in your practice.

Children living in material hardship increased by almost 50,000

An intChild poverty statistics released by Statistics NZ in late February show a statistically significant increase in children living in poverty since 2022 for two out of the three primary child poverty measures.

More children are living in material hardship and income poverty, using the after-housing costs measure, compared to 2022. Statistics show that 169,300 children are now living in material hardship – almost 50,000 more children than in 2022.

Rates of hardship are higher for specific populations of children:

• One in four Tamariki Māori and disabled children are living in material hardship
• One in three Pacific children are living in material hardship

NZCCSS’ press release calls on the Government to prioritise poverty reduction policies and make a long-term commitment to freeing all New Zealanders from poverty.

Report indicates no improvement in Oranga Tamariki compliance with care standards

The Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2024/25 report released by Aroturuki Tamariki today finds that the Oranga Tamariki system is failing to deliver the minimum standard of care required by National Care Standard regulations for tamariki and rangatahi. Key barriers to improvement include social workers not being supported to work effectively, and lack of prioritisation of the care population within government services.

The report finds that for tamariki and rangatahi in care:

• Almost one third experienced a change in caregiver, with half of these changes being unexpected.
• One third were not being visited by their social worker as often as they should be.
• Ten percent experienced abuse in care, continuing the trend of this figure increasing each year over the past six years.

Those in care also experienced lower school attendance rates, and higher rates of hospitalisation for self-harm than those not in care.

The report highlights the need for greater prioritisation of the care population across government agencies to see a shift in the extent to which the system meets the needs of tamariki and rangatahi in care.

Welcome to new Oranga Tamariki Chief Executive

NZCCSS Chief Executive Alicia Sudden was pleased to recently attend the pōwhiri welcoming Amanda Malu to her new role as Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki. Amanda has a wealth of experience within the public sector and we look forward to working with her.

Towards a stronger safety net to prevent abuse of children

Aroturuki Tamariki have released their second review of the recommendations of Dame Karen Poutasi following the death of Malachi Subecz and a review of actions identified by government agencies to prevent abuse of children at the hands of their carers.

The report found that tamariki are still no safer than when Malachi died and that gaps remain within the Oranga Tamariki system, which is not always able to respond as needed when children are at risk. It highlights that the Government must do more to prioritise child safety, over and above the recommendations of the Poutasi report.

As well as reporting on the five critical gaps identified in the Poutasi report, this review also looked at system responses to reports of concern and reviews of child deaths. Following consultation with kaimahi working alongside tamariki and rangatahi, the report concluded that Oranga Tamariki thresholds for intervention are too high, and that responses may be unduly influenced by Oranga Tamariki site resources.

There have been many changes in the tenancy space over the last few months. Many of our members support people who rent or board, and it is important to know how these changes can impact people. NZCCSS is also fortunate enough to support the Tenancy Advocate’s Network – a national network of individuals and organisations that advocate for tenants rights with landlords, at Tenancy Tribunal, and to Government.

See below for key updates in this space.

Methamphetamine contamination regulations updated

Any tenancies that start after 1 December 2025, or any pets that join existing tenancies after 1 DFollowing expert advice, the Government has updated the regulations for when decontamination of methamphetamine is found at rental properties. Levels were previously at 1.5μg per 100cm2. This has now risen to 15μg per 100cm2 to trigger decontamination procedures.

There are also updates to when contamination can trigger a tenancy termination, how testing and decontamination should be done, and what can be done with abandoned contaminated goods at a rental property.

These changes will come into effect on April 15, 2025.

For more information, see the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development website.

Put everything to the test. Accept what is good.

Thessalonians 5:21
(Contemporary English Version)