COMMENT: It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the Government isn't making election promises to those in need.

Nia Glassie and Moko Rangitoheriri were both beaten to death at the age of 3.

Derek Handley has joined Eat My Lunch as an investor and advisor.

COMMENT: The problem of families with children forced to live in third-world conditions is eminently resolvable, writes Bryan Gould.

Mild weather has brought rough sleepers from all over NZ to Auckland, with the presence of extra homeless people resulting in more complaints about beggars.

A visiting British reading advocate says reading can help fight poverty.

For five years Syria has suffered through a civil war that has tortured its people and destroyed the country, writes World Vision's Chris Clarke. For five years too long children have witnessed things no one should ever see.

The world is full of opportunities to save money - if you just have enough money to access them.

The low hanging fruit in the debate about feeding hungry children must surely be reducing the waste of good food which is thrown away, writes Sam Judd.

The Salvation Army's annual stocktake on New Zealand's social health has earned high credibility. It owes this to its recognition of progress as well as problems.

A new report has given New Zealand one of the worst rankings in the developed world.

There is no poverty in New Zealand because the poor are not living in slums. Some people in so-called poverty even have cars and ovens, writes Jenesa Jeram.

It's not necessarily surprising - or even a bad thing - that dynamic cities like Washington have higher income inequality than the national average.

It's time for the fairness of good tax systems to help us build a better world - and the meeting in Davos offers a real opportunity to put this into action, writes Rachael Le Mesurier.

Kiwi children are suffering right now. Believe it, writes Lizzie Marvelly.

What has caused today's hard-heartedness? Three decades of neo-liberal politics has changed Kiwi outlooks, writes Martin Thrupp.

The self-plagiarist tries to take undeserved credit for the work as new and original when they know the material was derived from a previous source, writes Deborah Hill Cone.

COMMENT: New Year is usually a time for making lists, so here are five things Steve Braunias wants to see in 2016.

All the measures of child poverty are pointing in the wrong direction, writes Susan St John.

A third of people in need of food parcels this Christmas are new, showing a "reflection of the child poverty stats".

The goal of a positive start for every child is achievable if we recognise its importance, support it, set our minds to it, writes Graeme MacCormick.

Again this year, I can say we are seeing the longest queues the City Mission has ever seen and that we will hand out the highest number of food parcels given to families, writes Dianne Robertson.

The child poverty crisis in Aotearoa is serious, writes Sue Bradford. No nice words or fancy messaging can alter the fact that until power is confronted and very different jobs, welfare and housing policies set in place, nothing will change.

When money is tight, we may need to make trade-offs to make this investment in our children and our future, writes Dr Russell Wills. What are we prepared to give up, so that Govt can prioritise children?

The latest report tells us 29 per cent of children lived in poverty in 2014, up from 24 per cent the previous year. About 14 per cent live in material hardship, lacking several of the items most New Zealanders would consider essential.

The number of NZ children living in households earning below 60 per cent of the median household income has almost doubled.

There is a growing impetus in some countries to consider providing everyone with a fixed sum of money that would help address basic needs such as food and housing, writes Richard McLachlan.

Anti-poverty activists protested outside a National Party Christmas function in Te Atatu, West Auckland, this afternoon.

This week's Salvation Army report into housing baby-boomers in retirement exposed the deepest fault-line in NZ society and its economy - home ownership.