 NZCCSS wishes to express our condolences at the passing of Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. We have all been inspired by his leadership, call to kotahitanga and life of service. Kua hinga he totara i te wao nui a Tane. Mae mai raa. As his youngest daughter Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Pō steps into her new role as Māori monarch, we acknowledge her leadership and the continuation of their legacy. “Ko te pua a hou tēnei e tupu ake nei.” This is the new blossom growing anew. |
| Welcome This month, we’re excited to introduce a new look to our monthly newsletter and a streamlined approach to sharing policy updates with you – Te Raranga Kaupapa Here | Weaving Policy. Our new name, Te Raranga Kaupapa Here, embodies the powerful imagery of weaving, symbolising the interconnectedness and careful crafting of our work. It reflects how each strand—each action, person, and idea—intertwines to create a stronger, unified whole, both within our mahi and across the wider sector. The goal of this monthly newsletter is to weave together the mahi of our team, insights and feedback from our policy groups and wider membership, and our relationships across the sector, connecting all of these elements to highlight the impacts on policy and decision-making at the highest levels. Each issue will be broken down into sections focusing on our four key focus areas Tō Tātou Rāngai | Our Sector Kaumātua | Older People Tamariki | Children Ōritetanga me te whakaurunga | Equity & Inclusion Within Kaumātua, Tamariki and Ōritetanga me te whakurunga we will share updates based on three themes: Threads in Action: Current Highlights. Highlighting important ongoing or completed work that our members and wider readership should be aware of. Weaving New Patterns: What’s on the Horizon. Sharing upcoming projects, ideas, or areas for engagement where people can contribute or get involved (or be aware). Interwoven Impacts: Tracing Our Influence. Reflecting on how our past work has contributed to broader outcomes.We welcome your feedback and look forward to engaging with you as we continue this journey together.Thank you for your ongoing support.  Issues with decision making at Oranga Tamariki The past couple of months have been difficult for many providing frontline services for vulnerable children and families. Despite assurances that cost cutting measures would not impact frontline services, we have seen clear cuts to prevention and intervention frontline service provision. The decisions that OT have made and are making will have a direct impact on tamariki and by reducing visibility this will absolutely increase risk and the likelihood of harm. Our Kaiwhakahaere Matua | Executive Officer Nikki Hurst has been vocal with concerns on behalf of our members. Please see some of her insight shared across various media platforms below.  NZCCSS’ EO Nikki Hurst and Wesley Community Action’s Director David Hanna feature in this Anna Smyth article about millions of dollars still being owed by OT to providers. Click HERE to read the article.  Nikki Hurst highlights inadequate decision-making at Oranga Tamariki in a recent Q&A interview. Click HERE to read the article and watch the interview.  In a recent interview with Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan, Nikki Hurst, Executive Officer of the Council of Christian Social Services joined Belinda Himiona, Chief Executive of Social Service Providers Aoteaora to express concerns over the uncertainty surrounding Oranga Tamariki’s funding decisions. Click HERE to read more and listen to the interview.  Hundreds of care organisations are facing uncertain futures as Oranga Tamariki failed to renew or cut contracts without enough notice, as reported by Anna Whyte in The Post | Te Upoku o te ika. Coverage from the Three News bulletin is also included in the article and both Nikki and Social Services Providers Chief Executive Belinda Himiona share their insights. Click HERE for more information.  Interwoven Impacts: Tracing Our Influence Last week, Kaitātari Kaupapa Here Matua | Senior Policy Analyst Rachel Mackay had the honour of presenting on ‘Structural Ageism’ at the New Zealand Association of Gerontology (NZAG) conference in Wellington.  One of the highlights of Rachel’s presentation was her breakdown of the lack of reference to older people in the Briefings to Incoming Ministers (BIMS) and Strategic Intentions or Statements of Intent.  Rachel also showcased two academic posters: one on Te Kōrero mō ngā Kaumātua and another on ‘Housing Insecurity in the Elderly: Assessing Available Housing Support Data for Over 55s.’ Her poster on Housing Insecurity won the conference poster prize, with judges praising the clear content and design, unique data, and Rachel’s skill in delivering key messages during the 1-minute poster blitz.  Rachel Mackay’s prize-winning poster exploring Housing insecurity in the Elderly. A full report is also underway to explore this further.  Rachel Mackay’s first Poster Presentation built from our 2023 report Te Kōrero mō ngā Kaumātua | Exploring the context of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand. The conference was an excellent opportunity for NZCCSS to offer a non-clinical perspective, gain insights from a diverse range of speakers, and engage in meaningful discussions about wellness and wellbeing for older people. UPCOMING REPORTS Kaitātari Kaupapa Here Matua | Senior Policy Analyst Rachel Mackay will be following up the success of her award-winning Poster on Housing Security with a comprehensive report that we look forward to sharing in the coming months. As well as a recording of Rachel’s presentation from the NZAG conference that we will share on our website, a report exploring Structural Ageism further is also underway that will delve deeper into this crucial issue for the sector. Interested in having Rachel present to your team or at one of your events? Rachel is available to present on The Aotearoa Aged Care Action Plan, the Aged Care Continuum, Structural Ageism, Housing Insecurity or our full report Te Kōrero mō ngā Kaumātua | Exploring the context of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand to your team or at your events. Please email [email protected] to explore her availability. Threads in Action: Neurological Cognitive Disorders Select Committee Submission In August we filed our submission in response to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry into ‘The capacity of the Aged Care sector’s current and future capacity to provide support services for people experiencing neurological cognitive disorders’. We highlighted the critical need for a cohesive, community-focused approach that ensures older adults, especially those with neurological cognitive disorders, are supported with tailored, culturally responsive, and sustainable care. By aligning our recommendations with specific objectives from the Aotearoa Aged Care Action Plan (AACAP), we underscored the importance of integrating community involvement, funding flexibility, and a whole-of-government approach to improve aged care services across Aotearoa. Our submission also emphasised the importance of addressing the growing complexity of care needs, ensuring accessible and responsive housing, and supporting carers who play a vital role in the aged care ecosystem. These points connect directly to the AACAP’s focus areas, such as enhancing the role of communities (Objective Seven), refining funding models (Objective Three), and ensuring that spiritual and cultural needs are met (Objective Two). We believe that these aligned efforts are crucial for building a resilient and inclusive aged care system that truly serves the needs of older people and their whānau. For a deeper dive into our recommendations and their alignment with the Aged Care Action Plan, please read the full submission We are looking forward to our making an oral submission to further support this submission in the coming months. Click to read our submission Weaving New Patterns: What’s on the Horizon Health Select Committee With submissions now closed on the inquiry into ‘The current and future capacity of the Aged Care sector to provide support services for people experiencing neurological cognitive disorders,’ the next step is to compile these submissions into a comprehensive report. This report will inform the inquiry and guide decisions on the Terms of Reference going forward.Select Committees play a crucial role in achieving Objective One of the Aged Care Action Plan (AACAP): Ensuring sector-wide decisions are bipartisan and long-term. We greatly appreciate the cross-party collaboration and forward-thinking approach of Select Committees and look forward to the next steps and further opportunities for partnership.We believe our Aged Care Action Plan (AACAP) and the Aged Care Continuum are essential contributions to this discussion. Both documents have been shared directly with Select Committee members, as well as Ministers and Members of Parliament who are committed to supporting Older People. Click to read the full AACAP  Threads in Action: Whakamana | Empowerment Te Korero mō ngā Tamariki – our report on Middle Childhood was released earlier this year.Check out this section focused on Whakamana | Empowerment through the lens of middle childhood. It explores the frameworks, legislation, government ministries and advocacy groups that are working to uphold the wellbeing and rights of children during this age stage.  Whakamana in action Submission on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill In our submission on the repeal of section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, we emphasised the importance of maintaining a commitment to the wellbeing and rights of all tamariki. We highlighted concerns that the current challenges within the Oranga Tamariki system are due to implementation and resourcing issues, rather than the legislation itself. Section 7AA is crucial in promoting cultural connections, partnership with iwi, and accountability in decision-making processes, which are essential for empowering tamariki and ensuring their safety and stability in care.Our recommendations urge the government to focus on evidence-based solutions that enhance the consistency and quality of care, uphold te Tiriti principles, and support family preservation approaches. By retaining the protections and obligations of section 7AA, we can continue to foster an environment where the voices of tamariki are heard, their rights are respected, and their wellbeing is prioritised. We believe that true empowerment comes from a system that values every child’s unique needs and provides the support necessary for them and their families to thrive. For more on our recommendations. Click to read the full submission Weaving New Patterns: What’s on the Horizon A really crucial aspect of Whakamana | Empowerment for children is the oversight system that monitors the performance of Oranga Tamariki. This system is there to ensure the laws are working as they should to protect children involved in, or at risk of entering, the care and protection system. The organisations involved in monitoring Oranga Tamariki are: Aroturuki Tamariki | The Independent Children’s Monitor, Mana Mokopuna | The Children and Young People’s Commission and the Ombudsman. You can read about these agencies in the Whakamana | Empowerment section of our report or check out these child-friendly videos that explain how the system works: https://aroturuki.govt.nz/about-us/oversight-systemAs part of its Quarter 3 Action Plan, the coalition government is proposing to make changes to this oversight system, with the specific goal for Q3 being to Finalise the framework to ensure the independence of a standalone Children’s Commissioner and strengthen the oversight of Oranga Tamariki.The government plans to revert back to the model of a single Children’s Commissioner (rather than a board of Commissioners, a model introduced by the previous government in 2023) and strengthen the independence of Aroturuki Tamariki, which is currently a unit within the Education Review Office. See the Beehive Press release about this HERE. We are watching this development closely and participating in consultation to inform this process. We see this as a timely review, and an opportunity to strengthen the visibility of children at a time where other avenues are diminishing.  Threads in Action: Long Term Insights Briefings We recently provided feedback on the Consultation on the Scope of the Treasury’s Long-term Insights Briefing: Sustainable and Resilient Fiscal Policy Over Economic Cycles advocating for fiscal policies that truly serve all people in Aotearoa. Our submission emphasised the importance of defining sustainability and resilience with clarity, prioritising the value of unpaid work, and integrating Te Tiriti principles into fiscal policy. We also urged Treasury to include diverse voices, particularly those with lived experiences of poverty and financial hardship, to ensure that policy decisions reflect the needs of the most vulnerable. Additionally, we called for measures that incorporate wellbeing and poverty metrics, especially for older adults, to guide long-term fiscal success. Click to read our submission HERE What is a Long Term insights briefing and why do they matter?At least once every 3 years, each government department has to release a Long-term Insights Briefing (LTIB) as a requirement of the Public Services Act 2020. These relatively recently introduced think pieces are designed to provide insights on medium and long-term trends, and impartial analysis of how these may impact New Zealand at least 10 years into the future. They propose strategies that could be taken to approach possible opportunities and risks and request feedback on these before being presented to ministers. LTIBs aren’t policy and may not result in changes to policy. In many instances they consider theoretical occurrences that may never eventuate, some people may question why we care about providing feedback. So why do they matter? The answer here is simple, people should have a say in what they think is important in their country. LTIBs ask for feedback twice, the first of which is when considering what the LTIB should cover. This step where “the scope” of the LTIB is considered allows the public to consider things they think that particular sector should be considering over the next 10 years or more. This stage provides people with ideas of what could be considered but also provides an opportunity to add your own input and ideas. The second stage of feedback comes after the draft briefing has been created and allows feedback on that draft before it is presented to ministers. Weaving New Patterns: What’s on the horizon?With the first round of LTIBs presented to parliament in 2022, there are a number of opportunities coming up to provide feedback on the scope of the next LTIB. The Inland Revenue is currently requesting feedback for the scope of their next LTIB by the 4th of October. Click HERE for more information about the request for feedback from the IRD. This LTIB proposes looking at the structure of the tax system both in terms of how income and consumption (through GST) are taxed. |
| Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 NIV |
10 September, 2024
Te Raranga Kaupapa Here – Mahuru
The first edition of our new-format newsletter, Weaving Policy, released in September 2024
Te Raranga Kaupapa Here – Whiringa-ā-nuku
The October edition of our Weaving Policy newsletter
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Te Raranga Kaupapa Here – Hakihea
The December edition of our Weaving Policy newsletter
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Te Raranaga Kaupapa Here – Whiringa-ā-rangi
The November edition of our Weaving Policy newsletter
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