New Zealand committed to lifting children out of poverty: PM

WELLINGTON, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- A small drop in the number of children in low income households is good news, but the New Zealand government is committed to making significant progress on lifting children out of poverty, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday.

"Every child deserves the best start in life and to grow up and reach their potential free of the burden of poverty," Ardern said in a statement.

While it is encouraging to see the gains reported in the newly released Child Poverty Monitor, there are still thousands of New Zealand children going without the basics they need, Ardern said.

The Families Package and the Child Poverty Reduction Bill will have a significant impact on families who are struggling to pay for the basics for their children and will ensure the public can track the government progress in poverty reduction, she said.

She is currently working on a bill to set a range of measures to ensure the progress is made towards meeting the poverty reduction targets, Ardern said. Enditem