Two Events for Labour this week

Child Poverty

On Monday evening we went to a public meeting organised by the local Labour Party and addressed by a local community paediatrician, Nicky Nelson, on the subject of "Child Poverty in New Plymouth".

From a variety of research Nicky explained that something like a quarter of the children in New Zealand are living in conditions that mean they cannot have what they need to thrive. For Taranaki the statistics are slightly better.

 

Comments by the Children's Commissioner and other experts have pointed out that allowing this to happen has resulted in costs to our society in the form of social support, health services, justice system, and so on, amounting to billions per year in financial terms, quite apart from the cost in misery and suffering in  the later lives of these individuals and families.

 

She explained the facts of human development, especially brain development, which indicated that intervention in the first three years of life is much more effective than trying to correct habits and ingrained brain pathways later.

 

The answers lay in mentoring programmes and support for young parents, both mothers and fathers, and ensuring adequate housing and incomes for all families. Nicky pointed out that elderly age-groups have the support of a universal National Superannuation to prevent them being in such levels of poverty, whereas provisions for children have not kept pace.

 

There was a lively discussion following Nicky's talk, and a description of the programmes in place at the local Marfell School, one of which is being assisted by Labour Party members.

 

The Future of Work

Again, on Wednesday morning our "Superlab" Group (of superannuitants) met for our monthly policy discussion. This month we were trying to answer the Commission's three questions.

 

Our discussion concentrated on Question 2: What should be the issues that the Future of Work Commission focuses on?

 

Here are some of our answers:

 

1. Jobs for everyone, eg by a massive house-building programme, and by stimulating regional development.

 

2. A revitalisation of the apprenticeship system.

 

3. Rebalancing the industrial relations legislation.

 

4. Strengthening collective bargaining.

 

5. Identifying the skills needed by school leavers.

 

6. Encouraging Regional Development

 

The Future of Work Commission is a task force set up by the Labour Party this year to develop policy in this area. It is made up of MPs, and people from a variety of sectors, including those with expertise who are not members of the Party, but who are keen to see policy developed. The commission is led by Grant Robertson.