Child poverty study 'lacking'

Convenor of the Whangarei Child Poverty Action Group Sherry Carne

A study into child poverty does not go far enough because each region should be put under the magnifying glass, says Whangarei's Child Poverty Action Group.

The Child Poverty Monitor Technical Report is the first annual report on the issue by the Children's Commissioner, J R McKenzie Trust and University of Otago.

Convenor of the Whangarei Child Poverty Action Group Sherry Carne said such reports needed to look at each unique region.

If that was done she was sure Northland would prove worse off than the rest of the country.

"I'm assuming that it would be worse up here," she said.

The report found in 2013 about 260,000 children, or 24 per cent of children in New Zealand, were living in poverty.

It also found 34 per cent of Maori and 28 per cent of Pacifica children lived in poverty, compared with 16 per cent of pakeha children.

Ms Carne said the recent national review of school deciles, which reflect the socio-economics of communities, emphasised that Northland was worse off.

Northland also had a high Maori population, and high levels of unemployment.

Previously about 82 per cent of Northland schools were between decile 1 and 5, the lowest deciles reflected poorer communities.

However, after the review earlier this month 85 per cent of Northland schools were found to be in those lower deciles.

Ms Carne said one of her biggest concerns was the increase of children in families that do have a working parent but were still in poverty.

"It doesn't actually mean that there is enough income to feed children adequately"

With Prime Minster John Key vowing to make action on child poverty a priority this term, Ms Carne said she looked forward to seeing what happened.