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Download AudioCampaign and Communications Manager: Isaac Gunson of Child Poverty Action Group.
- Child poverty among tamariki Māori remains alarmingly high-23.9% are living in material hardship, compared to 13.4% for all children.
- Māori adults also experience higher poverty: median personal income is ~$22,500 vs $28,500 for the general population.
- Over 50% of Māori live in the highest deprivation deciles, significantly outpacing other ethnic groups.
- Generational Inheritance of Poverty
Poverty is often passed down through generations due to entrenched socioeconomic disadvantage and systemic discrimination in education, employment, and income. Educational and Employment Barriers
Māori school-leavers are more than twice as likely to leave without key qualifications. About 20% of Māori aged 16-25 are not in employment, education, or training (NEET rate) compared to just 9% for non-Māori. Historically lower NCEA results and higher dropout rates further limit future prospects. - Housing Stress and Costs
A third of Māori households face severe housing issues-cold, damp, or overcrowded conditions-while home ownership is just 28% among Māori vs 56.8% for Europeans.
Combined with rising rent and mortgage burdens, many families struggle to make ends meet. - Life expectancy is roughly 7–10 years shorter for Māori than non-Māori, affected by poorer health, higher disability rates, and lower income.
- Māori children face higher rates of hospitalisation due to poverty‑related factors like asthma and malnutrition.
- Systemic discrimination contributes to overrepresentation of Māori in the justice system and foster care, compounding intergenerational trauma.
- Child poverty rates stagnated overall, but worsened for Māori and Pacific children in 2024.
- The Auditor‑General reported that none of the 2023–24 child poverty targets were met, highlighting unequal progress across ethnic groups
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