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    Alarming Trends
    Statistics which chart the health of our society
    from The Jobs Letter No.69 / 28 November 1997

  • In 1996, 450,000 working-age people were state dependent. These people represent 21% of the workforce. Of these 450,000 people, 54% have been on government assistance for over 12 months.

  • Currently 268,700 children (30%) live in benefit dependent families. In 1985 only 12% of children were in this situation. Of these children, 207,800 (77%) live in sole parent benefit dependent families.

  • The 1991 Census showed that 25% of children lived in families where no parent had paid work (48% of Maori children, 45% of Pacific Islands children and 16% of European children).

  • A sole parent heads 44% of Maori families.

  • New Zealand has the third highest male youth suicide and highest female youth suicide rate amongst the 23 OECD countries.

  • 1984-1990, non-Maori suicides doubled and Maori suicides trebled.

  • Compared to similar countries New Zealand has relatively high rates of teenage ex-nuptial births - In 1994, 30.4 per 1000 teenage females (1985 - 25.9/1000).

  • As many as 95,000 children and young persons live in multi-problem families (typified by low health status, psychiatric disorders, severe marital stress and conflict, poor or non-existent child-rearing skills, no pre-school education and a strong likelihood of family violence) and are seriously at risk as a result.

  • During 1995, 7,095 women (and 9,845 children) were admitted to women's refuges as a result of violence.

  • Reported violent crimes against children more than doubled between 1991 and 1994.

  • Over 50% of people in New Zealand prisons are Maori.

  • 90% of women entering our Bridge programme have been abused.

  • The number of people receiving foodbank assistance at our foodbanks has risen from 4000 in 1990 to a recent figure exceeding 65,000.

  • In some areas 20% of those seeking emergency welfare assistance are employed.

    Source "Poverty or Dependency? The defining question in the relationship between government and the community" by Major Campbell Roberts, full address available from Capital City Forum, P.O.Box 1937, Wellington.
    See also Poverty and Dependancy
    And also Minimum Standards For Employment Programmes

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