The Salavation Army “State of the Nation” report is out today, and, as Metiria Turei says, it makes depressing reading. It confirms what many of us have been seeing and discussing for a few years now. Kate Chapman says on Stuff,
The Government is not doing enough to reduce child poverty, create jobs or improve housing affordability, the Salvation Army says.
In its state of the nation report released today, it rates the improvements made in housing, social hazards, crime and punishment, employment, and children’s lives.
Despite some success in reducing the crime rate and increasing participation rates in early childhood education, the report found a “making-do, getting-by sentiment in some vital areas of social policy and human need”.
Salvation Army spokesman Major Campbell Roberts said the findings showed New Zealand had not learnt from history and did not have the right leadership to overcome the problems.
“This is not to denounce the current or recent set of political and civic leaders. Rather, it is a reflection that we get the leaders we deserve.”
With almost 300,000 people jobless and 150,000 others moving to Australia since 2007, alarm bells should be ringing, Major Roberts said.
Instead the Government remained focused on reducing its deficit and opposed to increasing taxes.
The destructive government policies, and cuts to the taxes of the wealthy, while increasing the burdens of those on low incomes have particularly hit the children of the poor very hard:
Child poverty, youth unemployment, and housing had suffered and “more tax dollars” were needed to fund solutions.
The report found child poverty rates were static over the last year and violent offences towards children increased by 84 per cent in the five years to July 2012.
It also showed a widening gap between achievement rates of students in low-decile schools and those in richer areas.
Between 2010 and 2011 the achievement gap between the poorest three deciles and wealthiest three deciles increased to 31.6 per cent, despite a fall in the achievement rate at the top decile schools.
Inequality was also growing between workers, with those in well- paid work and secure housing getting a pay increase while the picture for those in low-paying jobs was “less attractive”.
The housing market was increasingly about the “haves” and “have nots”, the Salvation Army said.
“Government’s response to these difficulties has been token at best.”
Kate Chapman summarises with a Report Card:
Teenage pregnancy A
Early childhood education B
Infant mortality B
Housing related debt C+
Drug related crime C+
Wages and incomes C+
Children at risk C+
Benefits and pensions C
Living costs and food poverty C
Alcohol C Gambling C
Housing affordability C-
Children and violence D
Educational achievement D
Child poverty D
Employment and unemployment D
Housing availability D
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