5685 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction

5685 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: How will the Minister ensure that data on the impacts of poverty on children and families is accurately measured?

Hon Louise Upston: The Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018 (the Act) sets out key responsibilities relating to child poverty measurement, reporting and target setting. Child poverty statistics are produced by Stats NZ, on behalf of the Government Statistician. The Government Statistician is required to report annually on nine measures of poverty set out under the Act. The Government Statistician has advised me that following his decision to discontinue the Living in Aotearoa Survey he remains fully committed to meeting his obligations under the Act. The Household Economic Survey has been used to measure nine of the ten measures in the Act since the 2018/19 year and will continue to do so. Administrative data, already collected by other agencies, will be used in combination with survey data to measure persistent child poverty as required under the Act. Under the Act, data quality is the responsibility of the Government Statistician. In preparing the report, and performing other functions under the Act, the Statistician must consult with the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). In performing their functions under the Act the Government Statistician and the Chief Executive of MSD must act independently of Ministers. As Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, my main responsibility under the Act is to set to set ten-year targets for reducing child poverty, as well as intermediate (three-year) targets for tracking progress. I am also required to present Stats NZ’s report each year on Child Poverty Statistics to the House.