Budget 2016 Analysis“Winners and Losers”

Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw

“I do try and be a good mum to my tamariki…because like their father said ‘yes our children are our first priority, but for them to have their first priority, there’s some things that us as adults have to ensure we do right for ourselves to make it right for them…I want my children to see that, we are not all bad, we can do things for ourselves, you know we go out there and do it for ourselves”

Unconditional cash supplementation for the poorest families will close the gap, in health, education, and economic attainment, between the poorest kids and their better off peers by about half.

Too many children etc etc etc.There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.She had so many children, she didn't know what to do;So she gave them some broth without any bread;And she whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed.

The poor outcomes children in poverty experience explained in large part by the stress they and their families’ experience. Mandated conditions don’t deal with the deprivation or the stress and can increase it.

“we’ve always just happened to scratch through for the years we’ve been like this, but it’s not a nice thing, it puts stress on your relationship…” Whānau 7: Maori Narratives on Poverty

“ it is very possible that the mechanism by which poverty operates will be different for each family, whether it [unconditional cash supplementation] allows parents to buy more books for their kids, work fewer jobs to be around their kids more, or just reduces stress for a parent about how they’re going to pay the rent”

Prof Kimberly Nobel

Budget 2016The Social Investment Programme: $652.1 M over four years including:• $200M for CYFS reform• $41M for at risk youth services• $50.3M barriers to employment for those on benefits• $43M for schools with at risk children• $50M for Integrated Data Infrastructure• $18M Insulate rental houses• $18M Healthy Homes Initiatives• $40M Whanau Ora

Budget 2016

The Social Investment Programme

Many of the families in dire need in NZ are not broken at all, they are just being broken by deprivation and stigmatization.

Will the social investment programme achieve improved outcomes for these families and children?

Budget 20161. The Social Investment Programme

Investment or Just Savings?

True investment builds assets (Human Capital, Wellbeing, Economic Attainment).

Using the language of ‘cost minimisation’ informs activities, targets & outcomes very differently.

Budget 2016The Social Investment Programme

Ultra Targeting

• Stigmatises.• Lets kids fall through the gaps.

Deal with the poverty and stress, then target the rest.

Budget 2016

Social Housing: $41.1 Million to maintain emergency housing and a surprise $200 million for an additional 750 places in social housing (which comprises redeveloping social housing and an increase in income related rent subsidies).

Budget 2016

Social Housing

The right type of shelter is only available to families when they have both secure sufficient incomes AND there is sufficient affordable quality housing available. The growing need for emergency housing exists because neither of these issues has been addressed.

Budget 2016

Housing for Maori: $12.6 million boost for Maori housing projects for new and affordable housing and housing repairs

Offers elements of self-determining solutions for housing families in need.

Budget 2016

Education: $42.1 million to support students with special needs including teacher aide funding increases.

However, poverty and poverty related stress is the critical factor in low attainment and behavioural issues for children at school.

Budget 2016Employment: $41 million to youth employment services (part of the social investment funding) includes specific Maori and Pacifica Trades training.

We need policies to support low incomes parents to spend time with, educate and build their relationships with their children so they don’t need employment support later on.

Budget 2016

Additional cash: $4.2 million over four years for low income parents to access low and no interest loans .

“What do you define as a good life?”

“To know that they (the children) have freedom of choice ay? The right to determine their own

destiny and that’s all I’m fighting for, the right to determine our own destiny” (Whanau 3)