Mayor calls for political action on child poverty

Porirua Mayor Anita Baker is urging party leaders to use the election campaign to outline plans to address the persistent and growing scourge of poverty in New Zealand, especially as it affects children.

The council recently released a report on poverty, which she says shows that poverty in the city is a major issue.

""Whether it’s school attendance, oral health, hospital visits or social housing waiting lists, the report paints a grim picture. These indicators weren’t looking good even before Covid. The danger now is that they accelerate in the wrong direction."

Baker says that it is important that politicians take the issue seriously.

"The new Government will face an unprecedented array of challenges brought about by the Covid crisis. My plea to whoever wins: no priority should be more urgent than fixing the child poverty crisis in New Zealand."