Louise Upston's priorities for vulnerable youth shift.
New Zealand's Child Poverty Minister, Louise Upston, has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth amidst scrapped priorities and snubbed advice. Labour's child poverty reduction spokesperson, Carmel Sepuloni, expressed concern over the minister's decision to deprioritize mental wellbeing in the latest child poverty report.
The move comes as a shock to many, particularly given that Labour prioritized mental wellbeing after children and young people identified it as the single biggest issue facing their generation. Upston has also scrapped food insecurity as a measure, despite going against advice to restrict food grants to beneficiaries. This decision is seen as a blow to struggling families who may now face the risk of going without food due to the government's choices.
The minister's changes have been met with criticism from Sepuloni, who points out that more kids are living in benefit-dependent households under this government's watch and that deliberate decisions have led to beneficiaries having less support. The rising unemployment rate and soaring beneficiary numbers are also seen as consequences of the government's choices.
Upston's decision has sparked concerns about the well-being of vulnerable children and families, and whether preventing child harm is still a priority for her government. With the government's tax cuts failing to address the issue, it remains to be seen how Upston will address the needs of struggling Kiwis.