Low income New Zealanders now owe more than $2.1 billion to the Ministry of Social Development as they continue to have to borrow money to survive. The latest figures show beneficiaries owe $200 million more than the same time last year. In this year’s Budget, the Government gave those over 18 and earning $70,000 or Read more
New Zealand
Not the time to quietly sell public and state house land to private developers
Thursday, June 9th, 2022
Government plans to sell public and state house land to private developers risks making the outlook for tens of thousands of New Zealand families worse, says Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO Bernie Smith. It’s been dubbed the sale of the century: in Auckland, 230ha to 270ha of public or state land is quietly being sold Read more
New charities law reduces admin, demands transparent funding
Thursday, June 9th, 2022
Parliament’s newly passed charities law expects more transparency over funding, fewer administration requirements and an easier appeals process. Increased powers have been given to Charities Services – the sector administrator – and to the Charities Registration Board. Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan says New Zealand’s 28,000 or so registered charities make a great Read more
Two Catholic educators included in Queen’s Birthday honours
Thursday, June 9th, 2022
The important service of Catholic education for society was again highlighted in the Honours List announced on Queen’s Birthday. For their services to Catholic education, Jenny Gordon and Patrick Walsh are featured on this year’s Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours list. Both have become Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Jenny Gordon Read more
Online child exploitation doubles in New Zealand since 2019
Thursday, June 9th, 2022The number of victims – and perpetrators – of online child exploitation in New Zealand has more than doubled since 2019, mirroring a global spike in offending since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Data obtained by Stuff from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which refers cases to New Zealand agencies Read more
Māori organisations lead the way in dealing with family violence – report
Thursday, June 9th, 2022A reduction in family violence deaths is being attributed to Māori organisations, but a report says government agencies need to do more. The latest report from the Family Violence Death Review Committee (FVDRC) is calling for government agencies to be more responsive to whānau. ‘A duty to care – Pūrongo tuawhitu: Me manaaki te tangata’ Read more
Vulnerable most disadvantaged by supermarket duopoly
Thursday, June 2nd, 2022
The Catholic Church’s Auckland Justice and Peace Commission told a Parliamentary committee on Wednesday that land games and delaying tactics by a supermarket duopoly is hindering the lease of land to other food distributors is not helping bring down grocery prices. It is one of several points the Commission made to Parliament’s Economic Development, Science Read more
Food a discretionary item for some
Thursday, June 2nd, 2022
Food has become a discretionary item in many people’s budgets. Its low priority is just one of the changes Delphina Soti, General Manager of the St Vincent de Paul food Hub in Auckland is seeing. Covid has a long tail and there are many layers of need in the community, she says. “There’s a lot Read more
Child poverty level worst in 18 years – KidsCan
Thursday, June 2nd, 2022During Christopher Luxon’s tour of KidsCan’s Auckland distribution centre on Friday, the charity’s CEO and founder, Julie Chapman, used the opportunity to inform the National Party leader of the dire state of child poverty in Aotearoa. “We’re seeing unprecedented levels of need,” said Chapman. KidsCan was founded by Chapman in 2005, at the time providing Read more
Record new NZ residents; British favoured
Thursday, June 2nd, 2022By the end of this year, the country will have more new residents than any other year on record. Almost 200,000 people have now applied to become residents under the fast-track visa, and one in four has been approved. Immigration figures show New Zealand has created more residents in the last six months than any Read more