6475 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction

6475 (2024). Hon Carmel Sepuloni to the Minister for Child Poverty Reduction: Will the Minister revive the StatsNZ “Living in Aotearoa” study, if the “Growing Up In New Zealand” study is discontinued; if not, how will the Minister ensure that the impact of poverty on children and families is properly 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. 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. Child poverty statistics are produced by Stats NZ, on behalf of the Government Statistician. Currently, the Government Statistician is required to report annually on nine measures of poverty set out under the Act. The Household Economic Survey (HES) has provided the data for these nine measures since 2018/19, and will continue to do so. From and for the 2025/26 financial year, Stats NZ is also required to report annually on a tenth measure of child poverty persistence. Administrative data, already collected by other agencies, will be used in combination with HES data to measure persistent child poverty as required under the Act. I do not have responsibility for decisions on the Living in Aotearoa survey; responsibility sits with the Government Statistician. 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 and has assured me that Stats NZ will still be able to adequately measure the impacts of child poverty. In preparing the annual Stats NZ report on child poverty statistics, and performing other functions under the Act, the Government 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.