New Zealand child poverty rates rise amid calls for political action

New Zealand is currently off track to meet its legal child poverty targets, with approximately 169,300 children living in material hardship as of 2024/25. This figure represents roughly one in seven children, a sharp increase from 2022 levels when 47,500 fewer children were in material hardship.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has launched a manifesto challenging political parties to commit to solutions in five priority areas: incomes, housing, health, disability, and education. CPAG notes that while the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018 aimed to halve poverty by 2028, material hardship has risen to 14.3%.

Mental health provider Te Waka Whaiora has warned that child poverty should be treated as a mental health crisis rather than just an economic statistic. They argue that living conditions, such as cold homes and food shortages, cause lasting psychological effects on children that cannot be addressed through clinical care alone. Disparities remain high, with one in four Māori and disabled children, and one in three Pacific children, experiencing material hardship.