New Zealand
'I used to purposely get myself arrested': City-dweller on life sleeping rough
One man said he used to get arrested so he'd have a bed and a break from substance abuse.
Latest from Poverty
Stories and analysis from The Northern Express Herald.
Hoops not hoopla: How a small park for homeless people eased a CBD's tension
The new pocket park has tables, shade and a basketball hoop for whānau.
'Not lazy parents': 600 schools needing extra support to boost attendance
The Ministry of Education said regional teams will step in to support them.
'Coercion': Tenant & blind mum must voluntarily leave state home or face eviction
The tenant was told the house she'd lived in for 12 years was being sold.
Reprieve for Pepfar: US backs HIV prevention drug programme despite aid cuts
State Dept framed the turnaround as part of Trump’s protectionist 'America First' agenda.
Days after quake, Afghan survivors still await aid
Aftershocks and rockfalls hinder rescue efforts in remote areas.
Working poor living in vehicles in Wellington's Petone
Vinyl layer Dylan Holdaway has slept in his car for five months.
No pillow, no bed. We hear from kids who live without
NZ has alarming levels of poverty as families struggle with the cost of living. Reporter Filoialii talks to one Auckland family about sticking together while facing hardship.
Eight siblings among 100,000 Kiwi kids living in poverty
Kasanita Latu sleeps without a pillow, using the couch edge instead.
‘We expect basic personal responsibilities’: Emergency housing grants plummet after govt’s hard line changes
Housing advocates say people denied shelter will die sleeping rough on the street.
'Rotten to the core': Govt banks $151m by ending 'double-dipping', wiping $100 a week for struggling households
The Government decided on the changes in 2024, but used urgency to pass the law in 2025.
Church supports homeless as council issues notice on encampment
Residents fear having nowhere to go if the site closes.
Nation of Debt: 'I'm scared of opening IRD letters' – expat Kiwi on his ballooning student loan debt
Three-quarters of overseas borrowers are behind on repayments.
'Privilege is not a dirty word': What will private schools be spending extra government money on?
St Cuthbert's College will receive an estimated $1.6m subsidy.
Court lets Trump block billions of dollars in foreign aid
Ruling backs the Trump Administration's efforts to dissolve USAid.
Editorial: Northland is often our forgotten region, now it needs our help
OPINION: There has been a spike in violent crime in Northland this year, straining police.
Pizzeria owner’s act of kindness goes viral after Facebook post
Chris Kolstad: 'Usually if somebody’s going to that length, they’re trying to survive'.
'It's the cost of surviving': MP slams Govt housing policy changes
'Our mokopuna are being raised in the backseat of a car instead of a home.'
'Urgent advice': Govt considers backdown to address homelessness spike
Service providers have reported a 90% increase in homelessness in Auckland.
How Jakarta's puppet ban could cost buskers
The ban could leave many ondel-ondel buskers in Jakarta without jobs.
'We are suffering': Solo mum used Afterpay for food since power bills chewed up benefit
More than 100,000 New Zealanders can’t keep warm in their homes over winter. We ask why.
'Don’t give up': Couple who went from the streets to a home share message of hope
Hera and Lena Greaves are heartbroken by Kaitāia’s rising homelessness.
‘It’s clear we have a real problem’: Homelessness 'appears' to be outstripping population growth
Government ministers have released a report on the 'long-running challenge' facing NZ.
New research points to growing poverty crisis
An increasing number of low-income households are just able to afford the bare essentials, according to a new report from the Child Poverty Action Group.
The Wellbeing Protocol reckons community funding can be done way better
The Wellbeing Protocol wants to change how community funding works – with a clever app.
Editorial: Cost-of-living crisis hits harder in winter
OPINION: About one in 10 children lack a safe, warm bed in New Zealand.
Man high on mushrooms crashes car into garage, with a preschooler on his lap
The garage collapsed on top of Freeman Ruhe's vehicle but the pair escaped injury.
'Hardest worked woman': The extraordinary life of Nurse Maude
Nurse Maude was New Zealand's first district nurse, visiting 1100 patients in her first year.
Simon Wilson: When the centre cannot hold - the stark future for Labour
OPINION: Voters are fed up and populism is sweeping the world, but Labour can benefit.
'Living in sheds, cars': Northland families struggle for basic needs
Beds are the biggest seller due to a shortage of quality beds in the region.