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Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit

Working for the eradication of poverty in New Zealand

We believe that a poverty-free Aotearoa New Zealand is possible.

Since the Unit began in 2004, we have established a focus for social research and policy evaluation, and a platform to engage with opinion-formers and decision-makers in politics, government, business, media, and academia. We believe that change is necessary and possible and so work to influence the direction of public policies for the wellbeing of all individuals, families, and communities.

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State of the Nation

Foundations of Wellbeing—Poipoia te Kākano

Our 19th report diving deep into the 2025 data representing the state of New Zealand. How is the nation tracking compared to 2024?

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    Gambling Profits

    A single pokie machine can generate more in a year than a minimum-wage worker earns.

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    Food Parcels

    90,250 food parcels were distributed in 2025 — 7% higher than 2024 and almost 50% more than 2019 (pre-Covid).

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    Need Housing

    There were over 19,000 people with high housing need on the public Housing Register in 2025.

Recent work

  • Budget 2026: Shifting Costs onto the Most Vulnerable 

    By Paul Barber Budget 2026 presents itself as fiscally prudent and targeted, but that comes with the price of entrenching hardship, shifting costs onto those least able to bear them, and missing key opportunities to address structural inequities.  There is almost complete absence of targeted and meaningful investment in work to address the disproportionate impact of hardship on Māori and Pacific people and honour Te Tiriti commitments.   The most striking…

  • Think Piece-Lessons from the Takahē

    By Ana Ika Over the weekend many in The Salvation Army gathered to celebrate Rotoroa Island. When you step off the boat today you are likely to see a takahē wandering across a path. If you did not know its history, you might miss the miracle in front of you. This beautiful bird was believed…

  • Think Piece-Dear New Zealand, don’t be a Blockbuster

    By Ana IkaDo you remember Blockbuster and Video Ezy? If you’ve only ever known Netflix, you might struggle to imagine the joy of pacing the aisles, picking snacks, and negotiating with your siblings over which DVD or VHS (if you are more seasoned in life) to rent. Those stores were once unstoppable but now they…

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