The expediency of politicians

Here's Jacinda Ardern trying to find something negative to say about the Household Incomes Report released this week.

“While there has been a small drop in the number of children in poverty overall, more than half of them - 135,000 - are considered to be living in severe poverty, their families trying to get by on 40 per cent or less of the median household income. “This country has never before seen such a high proportion of its children at the severe end of poverty. That is nothing to be proud of.

Here is the source:

Table F.5

Numbers of poor children in New Zealand

(ie  the number of children in households with incomes below the selected thresholds)

	BHC		AHC
	BHC ‘moving line’		AHC ‘moving line’			AHC ‘anchored line (2007)’
HES year	50%	60%	40%	50%	60%	60% (07 ref)
2001	120,000	250,000	115,000	215,000	310,000	380,000
2004	150,000	270,000	115,000	200,000	290,000	320,000
2007	140,000	210,000	115,000	170,000	240,000	240,000
2009	115,000	210,000	130,000	195,000	270,000	230,000
2010	150,000	245,000	115,000	200,000	300,000	260,000
2011	140,000	230,000	120,000	210,000	285,000	255,000
2012	130,000	220,000	130,000	205,000	285,000	240,000
2013	120,000	210,000	135,000	205,000	260,000	230,000

Until now she has jumped on the highest number to inflate concern and create an opportunity to come to the rescue with some policy.

Typically

 “We know that the early years of a child’s life are the most important, yet we still have 285,000 children living in poverty, high rates of rheumatic fever and far too many kids living in unhealthy cold and damp homes.

And

"Investing $1 early can save us $11 down the track in terms of the benefit for that child and family." There were about 285,000 children or about 27 per cent of New Zealand children living in poverty, she said.

There are many more examples.

This time she has selected the smallest number because that is the only one that shows an increase.