Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is to make a major speech this afternoon outlining her government's progress in its first 100 days, including its child poverty bill.
Jacinda Ardern at her first media appearance after the announcement of the Prime Minister's pregnancy. Photo: RNZ / Dan Cook
Under the Child Poverty Reduction Bill, introduced yesterday, governments will have to set both three year and 10 year targets and report on progress in every Budget.
Ms Ardern yesterday said the public would not have to wait long to learn her first set of targets, hinting it would be in the very near future.
Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft said the strategy on child poverty was a historic move.
"I'm excited, I think this is a watershed moment."
New Zealand could do even better than the 2015 United Nations sustainable development goal it signed to halve poverty by 2030, he said.
"I'd like to think by 2030 we've reduced it by two thirds or three quarters.
"It's an exciting and eminently possible goal."
"The great thing about it is it provides a framework for consistent and sustained progress" - Andrew Becroft
Mr Becroft said it was important that there was a national, whole-of-community response to child poverty.