The report, Nga Tukunga Iho - The Things We Inherit, offers an annual assessment of the country's social progress - this year especially -

• children and youth
• housing
• crime and punishment
• social hazards
• work and incomes

Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson, The Salvation Army's Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit director, notes the new government has inherited a mix of successes and obstacles from its predecessor.

He emphasises the impact current policies will have on future generations and the responsibility to foster a better living environment for all New Zealanders.

While the report acknowledges significant progress has been made in recent years - reductions in child poverty, an increase in social housing units, sustained low unemployment - it also points to worrying trends.

These trends include the deepening cost-of-living crisis hitting lower-income households hardest. Rising rental costs are outpacing inflation and there are overall increases in food insecurity and financial hardship.

The State of the Nation report is unequivocal in its call for the new Government to take decisive action.

Hutson stresses the need to build upon the progress achieved and to adopt successful strategies to navigate the challenges ahead.

Concerns for Maori wellbeing

One of the report's key findings pertains to Maori wellbeing.

Persistent inequities affecting Maori in education, housing, employment and the criminal justice system need to be addressed, it says.

To achieve this, the report advocates for the importance of resourcing kaupapa Maori approaches to enhance well-being for whanau, hapu and iwi.

Children and Youth

The report's Children and Youth section has both positive and negative news.

On the plus side, it rates child poverty reduction as a significant achievement.

However, it also notes poverty's disproportionate impact on Pasifika, Maori, and children living with disabilities. It stresses the need for targeted efforts to meet Government poverty reduction targets.

The report also states that young people continue to tell of high levels of mental distress.

Housing

The report's Housing section paints a grim picture of unaffordability and homelessness. This is exacerbated by a decline in new housing consents and a surge in inward migration, it says.

The report calls for an urgent increase in public housing supply to address the growing backlog.

Crime and Punishment

In terms of Crime and Punishment, the report indicates an overall increase in reported and unreported crime and notes that violent offences are increasing.

Enhancing access to housing, employment, education and social services would be more effective in reducing crime than implementing harsher punishments, the report suggests.

Social Hazards

The Social Hazards section notes a positive decline in alcohol and drug consumption.

At the same time, it points to rising gambling losses and signs of increased financial hardship. One such indicator is the increasing number of calls for early KiwiSaver withdrawals on the grounds of financial hardship.

Work and Incomes

Under the heading Work and Incomes, the Salvation Army State of the Nation report highlights the continued high levels of employment but raises concerns about the rising unemployment and the persistent wage inequality affecting women and ethnic minorities.

It says high inflation is putting pressure particularly on low-income households. Furthermore, food insecurity for households with children has increased.

Source

• Supplied: The Salvation Army
• The full report is available from the Salvation Army.

He made the remarks during his weekly general audience at the Vatican on February 4, which was devoted to the role of fathers in the family.

The Pope outlined the traits of a good father, as someone who forgives but is able to "correct with firmness", while not discouraging the child.

"One time, I heard a father in a meeting with married couples say ‘I sometimes have to smack my children a bit, but never in the face so as to not humiliate them'," Francis said.

"How beautiful." he added.

"He knows the sense of dignity! He has to punish them but does it justly and moves on."

Some child welfare campaigners have questioned the Pope's comments.

A spokesman for the United Kingdom's National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) said it took a zero tolerance approach to the corporal punishment of children.

Referring to the Pope's comments, NAPAC's John Bird said: "I don't know what he had in mind when he said this.

"It's about interpretation and where you draw the line."

NAPAC's founder, Peter Saunders, who is part of a Vatican commission to protect minors, was to attempt to raise the issue with the Pope during a meeting last week.

Mr Saunders said, given the Pope was not and never had been a parent, perhaps he needed advice on the upbringing of children.

He was sure that if the Pope had not chosen life as a priest, that he would have become a good parent and one who would not have used physical violence.

Fr Thomas Rosica, who collaborates with the Vatican press office, said the Pope was obviously not speaking about committing violence or cruelty against a child.

Rather, he was speaking about "helping someone to grow and mature", Fr Rosica said.

The Church's position on corporal punishment came under criticism last year during a grilling by members of a United Nations human rights committee monitoring implementation of the UN treaty on the rights of the child.

The Vatican argued that it in no way promoted corporal punishment.

But the head of its delegation said he would take recommendations back to Rome for review.

Sources

• The Guardian
• BBC
• Irish Times
• Image: Huffington Post

Dr Krysten Winter-Green, who is based in Boston and works with abused young people, said there was no type of corporal punishment for children that was acceptable.

Dr Winter-Green has served in dioceses around the world with homeless persons and those living with Aids.

She specialises in areas of child abuse that include forensics, assessment and treatment of priest/clergy offenders. Continue reading