Prime Minister Chris Hipkins got an overview of the Auckland flood damage but the reality on the ground for many young people is sobering. Photo / Pool, File
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins got an overview of the Auckland flood damage but the reality on the ground for many young people is sobering. Photo / Pool, File
Opinion by Dana Wensley
OPINION
The Auckland floods have been devastating, and some of the hardest-hit areas are those that can least afford the cost of recovery.
The floods follow closely on the heels of Covid-19, which has had more of an impact on some areas of Auckland than others.
A recent Colmar Bruntonreport on impacts of Covid-19 on Pacific people living in South Auckland showed that 18 per cent of Pacific households have lost half or more of their income, and nearly one in four Pacific households have one family member who has experienced reduced pay or hours.
This is a community already experiencing economic stress. Nowhere is this more apparent than in child poverty.
In December at the Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in Māngere, rangatahi from South Auckland presented a Youth Declaration to the Children’s Commissioner detailing immediate actions to address their needs. These ranged across housing, education, transport, and the right to be involved in decision-making.
Far too many children still suffer high rates of deprivation. They go to school hungry. They live in unhealthy, damp homes.
Youth are making tough decisions to support their families, often prioritising short-term financial gain at the expense of their long-term education or meaningful employment opportunities.
The Southern ward of Auckland contains some of the highest deprivation levels in the country. With a population of 333,000 people (of whom 93,000 are children) a staggering 28 per cent of children are in material hardship — compared with the national average of 12 per cent.
Petelo Veukiso, 12, joins volunteers and support services at an evacuation centre in Māngere. Photo / Dean Purcell, File
And those in the most severe material hardship number 13 per cent — compared with a national average of 5 per cent. Whose responsibility is this?
Central government has key responsibilities but it can’t do this alone. It needs to work closely with local government and community groups who know what works best for their communities. Children need strong advocacy across the political spectrum.
A new approach to social issues is needed, one that transcends local and central government, and enables the voices of those with lived experience of poverty to be part of the discussion and planning for the future.
The Review into the Future of Local Government currently under way is a unique opportunity to adopt a new way of working across traditional political boundaries. As part of this review, rangatahi aged 12 – 24 were asked for their feedback on “who”, “what” and “how” over making decisions.
There were close to 5000 responses, predominantly from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. A significant 31 per cent cited sustainability as crucial to their vision of the future, followed by 24 per cent identifying communities that were safe for everyone, and 19 per cent identified the need for communities to be economically thriving.
Hearing these voices enables local and central government to engage with long-term goals and concerns that affect current and future generations. This sort of engagement should become a core part of government business.
As a society, we need to accept social responsibility for the issue of child poverty which has multiple drivers and has been a long time in the making. The Auckland floods are a wake-up call.
Auckland, the powerhouse of New Zealand, is struggling. Auckland accounted for 37.3 per cent of national GDP in 2022.
As someone who grew up in a small rural South Island town, I recognise the importance of the regions, and that rural communities struggle as well, but Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is to be congratulated for recognising the unique plight of Auckland with the appointment of Michael Wood as the Minister for Auckland.
The next steps will involve working closely with communities who know best what “fixes” are needed.
It involves listening to youth who have experienced poverty and seek solutions that work for them. A “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work this time. Solutions generated with a keen eye to the impact on children and youth should be prioritised.
The next generation are our most vulnerable and valuable taonga.
Hopefully, the recovery will place them at the centre.
- Dr Dana Wensley is a researcher at the Child Poverty Action Group and has presented to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child on issues of child poverty. She has a background in local government, having served as Chair of the Regulatory Committee for the Tasman District Council and deputy chair of Community Development. Views expressed are her own.
