Reflections and Recommendations | Pathways into and out of poverty

By Kieran Madden

Reflections and Recommendations A clearer understanding of how poverty “works” helps to guide a better, more dynamic response for struggling…

Poverty related factors for families now and in the future

By Kieran Madden

Poverty-related factors for families now – international evidence[1] As New Zealand-based evidence is limited, we turn to the UK to…

Poverty across generations

By Kieran Madden

Mobility and persistences: Poverty across generations Poverty is an intergenerational, relational problem. While the prevailing philosophical perspective promotes the view…

Current poverty | poverty within lifetimes

By Kieran Madden

Risk factors and trigger events What causes poverty for families today differs from what causes poverty across generations. Causes of…

Causation and income dynamics of people in disadvantage

By Kieran Madden

CAUSATION The surveys above asked the question, “What causes poverty?” But before we, as researchers and policy makers, can answer…

Uncovering pathways into and out of disadvantage in New Zealand

By Kieran Madden

INTRODUCTION Families in poverty face significant challenges and disadvantages that are likely to have scarring effects long into their children’s…

Removing the barriers

By Danielle van Dalen

I was 12 when my grandfather lost his eye and was declared officially blind. In the following months and years…

The true cost of getting “Ready for Work”

By Julian Wood

Labour’s “Ready For Work” policy is a great idea. Unveiled at the party’s conference, the plan offers on the job…

Not helping harms us

By Julian Wood

Last week the Hamilton Central Business Association enacted the “Your Help May Harm” campaign, aiming “to educate the public on the…

Posturing doesn’t help those facing poverty

By Alex Penk

“I know that’s not PC, but you know, that’s me,” said Judith Collins last week as she commented on child…

Between risk and reality

By Kieran Madden

We use statistics to inform policy development and public discourse—it is a tool to better society. But like most tools,…

Working hard, still struggling

By Danielle van Dalen

In New Zealand’s poverty debate, work is often touted as the silver bullet solution, the one thing that will solve…

Changing the Story – Poverty panel discussion

By Maxim Institute

Every society tells a story about the good life, getting a fair go, or what it takes to live well….

Social insecurity

By Kieran Madden

Humans deeply yearn for security. Safety, in both its physical and economic forms, is solidly perched just above physical survival…

“Hopeless” Kiwis

 “A lot of the Kiwis that are meant to be available [for farm work] are pretty damned hopeless. They won’t…

Connecting communities with help

By Jeremy Vargo

Last week I had a fascinating conversation. I was talking with Lisa Woolley in her office at VisionWest: a large…

Pathways to poverty report in the news

Maxim Institute’s third report in the Heart of Poverty series received sustained attention on the day of release, with our…

The Heart of Poverty Series #3: Uncovering the pathways in to and out of disadvantage in New Zealand

By Kieran Madden

Around 10 to 15 percent of New Zealand families are stuck in persistent poverty that will keep them trapped there…

The Heart of Poverty Series #2: Defining and measuring what it means to be poor in New Zealand

By Kieran Madden

Who is poor? How did they get there, and how has poverty damaged their lives? This set of recommendations on…

Living Wage disputes

By Kieran Madden

Last week, the Government announced that the minimum wage will soon rise by 50 cents to $15.25/hour, higher than the…