June 14, 2021
Productivity Commission set to study poverty
The Productivity Commission has been asked to identify ways to break the cycle of long-term disadvantage.
Commission chair, Ganesh Nana says evidence points to serious disadvantage in low-income families and whānau in New Zealand, and children growing up in those households face the prospect of a lifetime of poverty and disadvantage.
He says the lost opportunities represented by persistent, intergenerational disadvantage flows through into substantial fiscal costs (such as welfare payments and health costs) that affect New Zealand’s productivity and economic potential.
Dr Nana says through significant research and analysis an inquiry can generate new insights and allow the commission to make recommendations for effective interventions to mitigate and eventually break the cycle of disadvantage.
The Commission intends to engage widely with social service and education providers, iwi, Māori, and Pacific groups, and many others as it develops the inquiry terms of reference for the inquiry.
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