child welfare

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Be Like Dad, Keep Mum (in fear).

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 10th, 2016 - 62 comments

Temuera Morrison has made a powerful video for the Women’s Refuge annual appeal. He’s making a difference. You can do something the Key Government won’t do. You can make a difference. You can stop keeping mum about domestic violence and you can help fund your local refuge.

Nats overrule Parliament to veto parental leave extension

Written By: - Date published: 3:54 pm, June 16th, 2016 - 102 comments

So – like Canterbury, like Auckland, the democratic process can get stuffed as far as National are concerned.

Postcard from the “brighter” future

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, March 30th, 2016 - 31 comments

Evidence of growing poverty hitting “mid-decile” schools.

Easter Monday Round Up

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, March 28th, 2016 - 101 comments

Three news items stand out from the long weekend. Actor Robert De Niro being inoculated against anti-vaxxers, ISIS being driven out of Palmyra and the free part of Ireland celebrating the centenary of the Easter Rising. All are milestones of sorts, markers of positive change.

The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, January 27th, 2016 - 79 comments

How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.

Coleman to regulate high sugar industry

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, December 1st, 2015 - 32 comments

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said there is a voluntary regime in place for the manufacture and sale of high sugar food but where there is is self regulation it is often ignored.

Because of the danger high sugar foods potentially pose it’s important to have a regulatory body and licensing/education regime to ensure manufacturers and retailers only provide food that has healthy outcomes.

Stuff report on child abuse

Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, November 21st, 2015 - 123 comments

Not exactly light or cheerful Saturday morning reading – but we should all read it anyway. Stuff’s (Katie Kenny & Blair Ensor) excellent special investigation on child abuse in NZ.

Poverty’s Beneficiaries.

Written By: - Date published: 10:02 am, November 8th, 2015 - 68 comments

While pondering this post, I was pointed to a post from last year, in which poverty and the cost of breakfast were on the agenda. Stephanie was writing in response to the ignorance of Nikki Kaye who claimed that giving affordable nutritious breakfast to children was easy. While I haven’t taken the time to read all of the comments on the subject, I thought Stephanie proved the point quite aptly that the reality is far different than the hypothetical world of poverty in which Nikki Kaye lives.

Food Bank Charity

Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, October 30th, 2015 - 97 comments

Guest post from Kōrero Pono on the politics and ethics of food banks.

CYF Review: Great work if you can get it

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, October 13th, 2015 - 40 comments

Radio New Zealand has reported that Paul Rebstock, chair of the Government appointed committee engaged in the review of Child Youth and Family, is being paid $2,000 a day to perform her job.  This is the equivalent to the daily pay of thirteen social workers.

The problem is child poverty not CYF

Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, September 28th, 2015 - 34 comments

The Rebstock Panel inquiry could be read to confirm that Child Youth and Family is unable to perform its job properly because of it is not properly resourced to provide the job. But it is clear that National is loathe to provide it with any more resources. And the elephant in the room is that the Government fails to understand that escalating child poverty is the cause the crisis.

Paid parental leave bill progresses – towards veto

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 17th, 2015 - 30 comments

Last night in Parliament Labour MP Sue Moroney’s bill extending paid parental leave to 26 weeks passed its first reading by one vote, with only National and ACT opposed.

Costly government

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 14th, 2015 - 43 comments

This is the true irony of National governments. Their entire platform is one of “fiscal responsibility” and “good economic management” yet time and time again they spend money the way I did when I was a teenager: false economies and short-term wish fulfilment.

Heartless government

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 13th, 2015 - 123 comments

A few stories of recent weeks which show exactly what kind of government we have.

Petition: Raise the age of child protection

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, May 27th, 2015 - 29 comments

Currently, child protection law means a young person leaves CYFS care at 17, but other state support, like housing and student allowances, doesn’t start until age 18.

Human Synergistics, Richard Prebble, and the end of government

Written By: - Date published: 6:08 am, May 17th, 2015 - 64 comments

Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.

If you can’t afford children…

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, April 10th, 2015 - 186 comments

affording-children-key

Cutbacks for Children’s commissioner – do we care?

Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, April 8th, 2015 - 6 comments

The office of the Children’s Commissioner is cutting back work due to funding pressure. Not that you would know about it, from the almost complete lack of media coverage.

Governments protecting paedophiles

Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, April 8th, 2015 - 22 comments

Last week National shut down Peters’ attempt to introduce a Bill on paedophile name suppression. Presumably this was out of petty spite at Peters’ Northland victory, but in the context of the Thatcher revelations this was surely an issue that would have been worth debating.

$46.25 per week Minister!?!

Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, March 19th, 2015 - 6 comments

One way the Government is transforming the disability support system is by keeping quiet about allowances desperately needed by those caring for disabled children.

Shame shame shame

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, March 19th, 2015 - 206 comments

Last night in Parliament National voted down Harawira / Turei’s Feed the Kids Bill, David Shearer’s Food in Schools Bill, and Phil Twyford’s Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill.

Feed the Kids

Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, March 17th, 2015 - 45 comments

Harawira / Turei’s Feed the Kids bill is up tomorrow today in Parliament…

Salvation Army – State of the Nation

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, February 11th, 2015 - 18 comments

This morning the Salvation Army released their state of the nation report – A Mountain All Can Climb. It is mixed news, and most coverage has focused on the impact of the housing crisis.

What John Key actually believes in

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, January 6th, 2015 - 146 comments

Charlie Mitchell of the Dominion Post has analysed John Key’s formal speeches since 2007 to see what has from time to time been uppermost in Key’s mind. The results are interesting to say the least.

‘The future will be green or not at all’

Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, January 2nd, 2015 - 275 comments

Yesterday, on Outspoken at RNZ, Craig McCulloch interviewed Jeanette Fitzsimons, Gareth Morgan and Metiria Turei on the future of the Green Party. Morgan wants the Greens to shift away from “scary” economic policies.  Turei and Fitzsimons explain why not.

Power poverty on the up

Written By: - Date published: 8:18 am, December 19th, 2014 - 56 comments

The government has failed to tackle NZ’s on-going housing crisis. Fuel/energy poverty is increasing, with a higher proportion of households unable to afford any heating.  More Kiwis are renting than in the 2006 census, & more Aucklanders live in over-crowded households.

‘Ditch the [misleading] rhetoric’

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 12th, 2014 - 16 comments

On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”.  NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades.  The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.

Local Bodies: Government Responsible for Invercargill Poverty

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 6 comments

The second annual Child Poverty Monitor was released today.  bsprout on Local Bodies on poverty and inequalities in Invercargill, “provides a good snapshot of New Zealand society”.

Children’s Plea

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, November 21st, 2014 - 24 comments

We all know that Child Poverty is one of New Zealand’s major problems. In an attempt to finally get a response from the National government to the problem ex-Family Court judge Graeme MacCormick has issued a “Children’s Plea” to get the government to do something serious in their next budget. You can sign it here. […]

Campbell Live on ‘Feed the Kids Bill’

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, November 5th, 2014 - 14 comments

The main message from Campbell Live last night is we really need the “Feed the Kids” Bill to pass it’s first reading: then the Bill will go to Select Committee, so everyone can have a conversation. Update: reading postponed ‘cos Key’s war statement debate gets priority.

Feed the Kids Bill – act today

Written By: - Date published: 2:03 pm, November 4th, 2014 - 9 comments

Only one day to support the Feed the Kids Bill.