Work & Incomes

Summary • The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora strongly opposes this bill in its entirety. The bill is an unnecessary extension of Police powers and will increase harm to people experiencing homelessness. • Instead of further progressing this bill, we urge the government to focus on resourcing the proven and...

Summary The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora strongly supports the aim of this Bill to amend the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) to create a register of boarding houses and boarding house landlords.

Summary • The Salvation Army (Te Ope Whakaora) strongly opposes the policy changes implemented through this Bill. These changes add complexity to the income support system and do not address root causes of youth unemployment and unaffordable housing. • Introducing a combined parental assistance test for 18 and 19-year-olds applying...

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...

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...

The Salvation Army welcomes the opportunity to comment on the 2026 Budget PolicyStatement (BPS). While we acknowledge the Government’s focus on “fiscal discipline topublic service spending” (BPS, p1), many New Zealanders continue to experience significantpressure from prolonged economic hardship. Rising living costs, food insecurity, housinginstability, and unmet mental health and...

The Salvation Army supports any changes that contribute to a more compassionate and just response to people seeking refuge and asylum and those at risk of human trafficking.

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora supports the aim of this Bill to increase and align penalties for trafficking and slavery here in New Zealand with other offences under the Crimes Act. We also join with other organisations working to combat slavery and trafficking to ask for a stronger legal...

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,...