Download Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Finance

TREASURY SCHOOLS CHALLENGE 2015
Briefing to the Incoming
Minister of Finance
 Fiona Wu  Caitlin Janes  Trang Dai Vo  Victoria Chen 
Currently, a quarter of New
Zealand children live in poverty.
As of 2014, 11.8% of youth
between the ages of 15-24 are
NEET.
THE KEY ISSUES

Poor Housing Conditions

Sole Parents

Childhood Obesity
HOUSING CONDITIONS
“70% of all children living in poverty live in
poorly maintained rented homes.”
- Bryan Perry, Ministry of Social Development 2012
Inadequate
Housing
Regulations
Poorly
maintained
rental
homes
Overcrowding
Cold and
damp
homes
Homes inefficient to heat
Diseases of Poverty
 Rheumatic Fever
 Skin and viral infections
 Respiratory illnesses
 Poor education outcomes
 Sleep deprivation
 Parents missing work
Policy Recommendation
Ceiling insulation
Sustainable form
of heating
Free from
dampness
Underfloor
insulation
Adequate window
coverings
The Trade Off
Long Term
Short Term
 Costs to
Landlords
 Possible Increase
in Rental Prices
 Costs to
Government
vs
 Decrease in
poverty related
illness
 Increased living
standards
 Sustainable
economic growth
SOLE PARENTS
“Children from sole parent families are four
times more likely to live in poverty.”
-
Child Poverty Monitor 2013 Report
“IN 2011, ONLY 36% OF SOLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS WERE IN
FULL TIME JOB AND ONLY 19% WERE IN A PART TIME JOB.”
- Work and Income New Zealand (2012)
Why is this?
Lack of time
Lack of skills
and education
Inability to
afford
childcare
Discrimination
Waste of
resources
(Labour)
Financial
Instability
Increase in
Child
Poverty
Policy Recommendation
Increase the Childcare Subsidy
 Increases the affordability of
childcare
 Boosts workplace
participation rate
 Decreases the number of
unemployed sole parents
 Increase in supply of labour
 Increase in output
 Decrease in poverty
 Future
generations
 Improve child
welfare
 Enable
increase in
accessibility
 Decreases income inequality
 Increases opportunity and
capability to participate
The Trade Off
Costs


Increased
government
spending
Decreased
available
funds for
other sectors
This is
offset by:

An increase
in income tax
take

Decreased
social welfare
payments
CHILDHOOD OBESITY
“1 in 9 children are obese, and a further 1 in 5
are overweight.”
- Ministry of Health 2012/2013
Uneven Prevalence
SocioEconomic
• “Children living in the most deprived areas
are 3 times as likely to be obese as
children living in the least deprived areas”
- NZ Ministry of Health
Ethnicity
• “60% of Pacific Island children and 40% of
Maori children and are either overweight
or obese.”
- The Nutrition Foundation
The Consequences
PERSONAL
Higher risks of conditions such as
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
cancer, breathing problems, stroke
and hypertension.
SOCIAL
Bullying, harassment, depression.
ECONOMIC
Less productive members in the
workforce.
Costly state health bills.
Policy Recommendations
Healthy lifestyle education
directed at parents and
parents-to-be.
Fund community cooking
classes, particularly in
low socio-economic
areas.
Fund the establishment of
fruit and vegetable
gardens in schools.
Framework Areas Targeted
How We Make
Things Better
Prosperity, Sustainability & Inclusiveness
Elevated
participation and
productivity
Minimised risks
of workplace
disengagement
and low levels
of future
economic
growth
Addressing
issues at a
young age so
children can
engage in the
economy as
adults
Minimizing
existing and
potential social
exclusion
Focus on social
implications and
non-economic
wellbeing
Balancing out
inequalities and
addressing the roots
of disadvantage
“Intrinsic disadvantage
need never be the
status quo.”
- Epsom Girls Grammar Treasury Team