Bleak new figures show tens of thousands of NZ children living in poverty | Stuff.co.nz

Bleak new figures show tens of thousands of children are living in poverty, including one in three Pasifika kids. Since 2022, the rate of material hardship has increased by four percent which is about 47,500 more children. The overall number in material hardship is 14.3 percent, or 169-thousand. It’s particularly bad for Pasifika children, with almost a third - 31 percent - going without. For Tamariki Māori and disabled children, it's one in four. Children’s Commissioner Claire Achmad said today it's "unacceptable" and that "urgent action is needed”. While South Auckland community leader Dave Letele told ThreeNews kids are being forced to take matters into their own hands and steal food to survive. Political correspondent Glenn McConnell has more. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stuff NZ is New Zealand’s essential news source — bringing you live, lively and trustworthy journalism from every corner of Aotearoa. Stay informed with breaking news, in-depth stories, and the latest updates that matter to Kiwis. We upload daily, keeping you connected with the people, places and issues shaping New Zealand today. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Social media channels: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nzstuff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nzstuff