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Child poverty doco 'sickening'

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Mon, 21 Nov 2011 9:52p.m.

Ms King says it reveals the "sickening truth" about child poverty and it's going to be a wake-up call for every member of the government

Ms King says it reveals the "sickening truth" about child poverty and it's going to be a wake-up call for every member of the government

Opposition parties are calling on everyone to watch a "sickening" documentary on child poverty in New Zealand, due to be screened on tomorrow night.

Labour's deputy leader, Annette King, says it reveals the truth and the government will no longer be able to pretend there is not a problem.

The Mana Party's co-vice president, John Minto, is issuing the same call and says it shows the reality of what 27 years of free market policies have delivered.

The investigation says up to 150 babies who died in New Zealand last year might well be alive if they had been born in Sweden, Japan or even the Czech Republic.

Filmmaker Bryan Bruce explores almost 100 years of child welfare in New Zealand and reveals how child heath has deteriorated in recent years.

It follows a report which found 200,000 New Zealand children live in poverty, more than half of them Maori or Pacific Island.

Ms King says it reveals the "sickening truth" about child poverty and it's going to be a wake-up call for every member of the government.

"The prime minister has been in denial about this country's poverty problem for years," she said on Monday.

"He has shunned numerous attempts to address the issue through a cross-party approach and dismissed the concerns of experts working in the field as `rubbish'."

Ms King says last year more than 25,000 children were admitted to hospital with respiratory infections while cases of meningitis and rheumatic fever - diseases usually associated with third world countries - are at unprecedented levels.

The documentary, Inside New Zealand: Inside Child Poverty is to be screened on TV3 at 7.30pm on Tuesday.

NZN

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Comments

08 Mar 2012 03:48p.m.

Delia Arnold wrote:

This documentary is one which some of my colleagues would like to use for teaching purposes. However, it does not seem to be available online. How does one access a copy of it, please?

16 Dec 2011 07:59a.m.

Kevin M wrote:

The Green party has specifically warned the govt for many years.........result is nothing

04 Dec 2011 08:04a.m.

Tony wrote:

I thought it was interesting that no mentioned - having fewer children as an option - To the question how many kids live here the answer was almost without exception 3 plus - if you can't feed your children, give them a comfortable warm home - why do you keep having more children. Here's an idea - I can only afford to feed, house and bring up ONE child so I will only have one child until my financial circumstance are better. Parents are responsible for the lives they bring into this world - it's not the job of schools to feed children it's the job of parents and if you can't feed your children - well then perhaps you just keep your legs crossed.

27 Nov 2011 05:10p.m.

ben wrote:

I HAVE A ? WHY IS THIS ON TV AFTER THE ELECTION ? THE MEDIA WORK IN WITH KEY OR HE WILL HAVE THEM FIRED OR TAKE THEM TO THE COPS .

27 Nov 2011 05:08p.m.

ben wrote:

NATIONAL DONT GIVE A TOSS , THEY GOT 48% ON A 65% TURN OUT USUALY THE TURN OUT IS 85% . DONT WORRY THE NATS DONT CARE THEY GET OFF ON KNOWING OTHERS ARE POOR AND MISRABLE SO LONG AS ITS NOT THEM .

24 Nov 2011 10:07p.m.

Keith wrote:

Ian the torries opposed this policy they have had 3 years to make changes but they havent. They know by doing away with this policy they would lose votes so once again the do nothing party turns this issue into politics.

24 Nov 2011 09:57p.m.

Lynda wrote:

I think the issues here are more important than political differences. Our children are our collective future investments. Demand cross party talks. Shame on our politicians and shame on us for wringing our hands in horror and looking away.Don't look away don't accept the excuses.

23 Nov 2011 11:45p.m.

Margaret Bradley wrote:

The wealth of a nation is its children. The excuse of poor parenting as an reason for inaction is simply a cop out. Children should not suffer for their parents inadequacies. It should not be too difficult to do as they do in Sweden and provide free meals and medical and dental care. The problem of non insulated houses should also be addressed. After all, we would recoup these expenses in savings related to a falling off in hospital admissions. This would not address all the problems, but at least it would be a start.

23 Nov 2011 10:34p.m.

Ian wrote:

I wouldn't pat yourself on the back too much over Working For Families, Annette. Every New Zealander knows of at least one family living in a flash house whose kids wear Trelise Cooper clothes that is tapping into that well. The WFF initiative was rushed through by Labour to buy votes and it's a bloody fiasco. A simple targeted milk / one free meal / routine doctor checks in schools would have been far more effective in a)eliminating preventable diseases early on and b)cutting down hospital bills. But the real big bonus would be that we wouldn't have to listen to your pompous posturing about leadership and committment and unfinished business.

23 Nov 2011 06:31p.m.

Chris wrote:

This 'doco' is actually about poor parenting and making excuses for that. The left's solution of 'throwing more money at this problem' will make it worse and parents even less responsible and accountable.