Child advocates have criticised the government saying it doesn't have any specific strategy to fight child poverty.
They say changes to benefit indexing and tax cut policies won't help families that are struggling.
Child poverty has worsened to the point that one in eight children are living without the basics at home according to the latest StatsNZ figures.
The Minister for Child Poverty Reduction Louise Upston claims her Government has inherited major challenges and a new approach is needed.
Upston spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.
