State of the Nation 2025

This is our 18th State of the Nation report, and it is therefore timely to remind ourselves of their purpose. These reports focus on the heart of any society—people—he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. When all people have what they require to meet essential needs, fulfil their potential and contribute, we have a society that is healthy. While we frequently hear about consumers price index (CPI), interest rates, gross domestic product (GDP) and other economic measures, there is less coverage about how people are doing. State of the Nation redresses this imbalance by researching trends across a range of issues that impact on the wellbeing of individuals and whānau. The Salvation Army sees more than 135,000 vulnerable people through our services every year, and this report is particularly concerned with how those people’s needs are being met in Aotearoa New Zealand.