On the eve of the launch of the Green Paper on vulnerable children, UNICEF NZ  is calling for Members of Parliament to stop political point scoring and start working together in the interests of children.

UNICEF NZ welcomes the release of the Green Paper, to be launched by Minister Bennett tomorrow, but stresses that the Action Plan resulting from the consultations will only be well resourced and sustainable for the long term if it is well supported by all parties.

Barbara Lambourn, National Advocacy Manager at UNICEF NZ, said, “The situation for children is too critical for partisan politics to interfere with a lasting solution for every child to have the life they deserve.  We have made the commitment as a nation to act in children’s best interests – now is the time for MP’s to show leadership and do what is best for children.  This is not a time for political point scoring.

“We hope that the Green Paper will give New Zealanders the opportunity to understand and comment on a range of issues across the health, education and social sectors. All of these matters impact on all children,” Ms Lambourn said.

“We have a wealth of evidence to show that we need to do much more for children. We need to invest early on in their lives and we need to focus on their safety and protection, their ability to thrive, achieve and to remain healthy.

“We want Members of Parliament from all political parties to give their attention to children’s matters. We want them to work towards a lasting accord that will achieve the same results for children that we have achieved for our elderly population, which is rated among the top in the OECD for income and social security. Our children, meanwhile, are languishing near the bottom. The Green Paper could be the best opportunity we will ever have to reverse this shameful situation and that means a cohesive response,” Ms Lambourn said.