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December 11, 2012
Quick action sought on child poverty report
Waatea Team
Posted On December 11, 2012
The Māori Party wants quick action on a report spelling out Solutions to Child Poverty.
An Expert Advisory Group called together by Children's Commissioner Russell Wills listed 78 action points it says will help alleviate and address issues of poverty.
Co-leader Tariana Turia says the report comes on top of the Te Ohonga Ake report which highlighted concerns about the health and wellbeing of Māori children.
She says successive governments have failed to fully address the issue, and the Māori Party intends to fight for the implementation of the child poverty report at the highest level of government.
The Government's response so far has been to reject the recommendation for a universal child payment, and to emphasise the country's poor economic situation.
As well as the new child payment, the expert advisory group recommended building 2000 new state homes a year, requiring all rental homes to pass a health and safety warrant of fitness, expanding food-in-schools programme for low-decile primary and intermediate schools, and extending free doctor's visits over time to cover all children under 18.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd
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