Huge crowd at child poverty forum in Wellington cathedral

Friday, August 8th, 2014

More than 1000 people packed St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Wellington for a Catholic and Anglican initiative to hear politicians address child poverty.

Catholic Archbishop John Dew and Anglican Bishop Justin Duckworth invited the Children’s Commissioner, Dr Russell Wills, and politicians to speak on child poverty in the lead-up to the election.

At the forum on August 5, Dr Wills said child poverty affected not just the poor but the entire country.

Calling for a plan for children, he said inadequate housing, debt, low incomes, alcohol and gambling harmed the young most of all.

Social pressure was the key to policy change, he added.

Archbishop Dew called on politicians to make reducing poverty their top priority and prayed that they are “genuinely disturbed by the state of society and the lives of the poor”.

But he also said that poverty “is not just for the politicians to ‘fix’, but something we are all called to do something about as a community”.

Attorney-General Chris Finlayson (National) admitted that child poverty is a reality in New Zealand. But he insisted that the present Government are making significant improvements.

Hone Harawira (Mana-Internet) spoke against those who devised grandiose plans on how to run the country, while being oblivious to the widespread nature of child poverty.

Labour leader David Cunliffe called child poverty a “national shame”, and referenced to policies to reduce unemployment and raise the minimum wage.

Peter Dunne (United –Future) stressed the need to first of all help parents and families.

Jan Logie (Green) advocated for a smarter, greener economy that works for all, and called for a range of measures to deal with the root causes of child poverty.

Marama Fox (Maori Party) spoke of her personal experience of having to keep children from school because she couldn’t afford lunches. She said when we look after our children, we look after our future.

Mataroa Paroro (New Zealand First) called for the removal of GST on basic food items.

Bishop Duckworth urged everyone to keep the conversation going.

He encouraged those present to go back to their communities and push the message about the priority of ending child poverty.

Sources