Child Poverty Action Group is challenging every political party to spell out how it will reduce child poverty, warning Aotearoa is off track to meet its legislated targets as hardship continues to affect thousands of tamariki.
CPAG Executive Officer Lyn Amos says the latest figures show around 169,300 children — 14.3 percent, or roughly one in seven — are living in material hardship, while more than 350,000 are living in financially insecure households.
The inequities are even greater for some communities. Material hardship affects 25.1 percent of tamariki Māori, 31 percent of Pacific children and 26.9 percent of disabled children, according to the latest figures highlighted by CPAG.
Ahead of the November election, CPAG has released its Manifesto to Reduce Child Poverty, calling for action across five areas — incomes, housing, health, disability and education. Its proposals include lifting the minimum wage to the Living Wage, increasing benefit levels, building 3,500 to 4,000 social homes each year and extending free GP and after-hours healthcare to everyone under 18.
The organisation is also proposing changes to Working for Families, increased disability assistance, fees-free community-based early childhood education and greater equity funding for schools. These are CPAG policy proposals rather than commitments adopted across the political parties.
The challenge comes as New Zealand remains well above the 2028 material-hardship target of 6 percent established under the Child Poverty Reduction Act framework. CPAG says 47,500 more children are experiencing material hardship than three years ago.
For Amos, Election 2026 provides an opportunity to put the wellbeing of children firmly before political leaders and ask what concrete policies they will implement to ensure every tamaiti has access to secure housing, adequate food, healthcare and education.
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