The PM has credited the Families Package with lifting 18,400 tamariki from poverty. In a statement to the media, she explained that figures from Stats NZ indicated that seven of the nine child poverty measures have improved during her tenure.
“Today’s figures show that we’ve made a great start and are moving in the right direction,” the PM says.
Ardern acknowledged that Child Poverty is a long term challenge, and while there were no ‘silver bullets’ she is committed to keep pushing.
“Lifting children out of poverty is an important issue to me and to New Zealanders,” the PM says.
While the figures cover from mid-2017-mid 2019, Ardern is confident that these numbers are an indication that her government is doing the right things to tackle this awful situation.
“It’s encouraging to know the policy is working and we are delivering on our core commitment of lifting children out of poverty,” the PM says.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson took this as a sign that the ‘Wellbeing Budget’ he prepared last year is improving the wellbeing of our tamariki.
“We are finally moving in the right direction to reduce child poverty,” Robertson concludes.