Latest News

October

September

August

Guest speaker, Susan St John Variety, 20th August, and Citizens Advice Bureau CAB, AGM, West Auckland, 22nd August, 2024

Bryan Bryce Podcast with Susan St John on Working for Families, Head to Head,  Audio only  substack Bryan Bruce series, August 19th, 2024

St John, S (2024) Just listen to Matthew and apply market-based technology to solve complex social problems  Daily Blog 13th August

July

St John, S (2024) Some may be worse off due to tax cuts: expert | RNZ  31st July 2024′

St John, S (2024) There are many more past injustices for the state to answer    Daily Blog 29th July 2024

St John, S ( 2024) Time to cut through the weirdness, be bold and simplify Working for Families.    Daily Blog 23rd July 2024

June

St John, S. (2024) Government Assistance for Families    BFM, 27th June

PIE 6-monthly newsletter  PIE hub, Economics Policy Centre, Auckland University  June 2024
St John, S (2024)  Review of crippling debts to government now delayed to the Never Never.  Daily Blog 24th June 2024

St John, S ( 2024) Time for a multi party focus on working for families, Newsroom,  20th June 2024

St John quoted in Susan Edmunds (16th June) Warning as Working For Families debt increases by more than $42m | RNZ News

St John quoted in Susan Edmunds(17th June)  ‘We don’t cope’: 55,000 people have Working for Families debt | Stuff

St John, S (2024) The rich get richer while child poverty just increases    Daily Blog 4th June 2024. Also see: Christopher Luxon says low- and middle-income Kiwis get ‘emphasis’ of tax package, Treasury figures say the opposite – NZ Herald

What impact did the Coalition government budgets have on the reduction of child poverty?  Waatea interview 4th June  2024.

May 2024

Budget 2024.

Bryan Bruce podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gxWVG7Sk (12 mins) featuring CPAG co founder Susan St John Bernard Hickey and Max Harris. 30th May  CPAG Auckland Budget event

St John, S (2024)Budget hot takes Ask the experts. Spinoff Budget 2024: The great Spinoff hot-take roundtable | The Spinoff 30th May2024

St John, S (2024)Will the true debt figure please stand up. Daily Blog 21st May 2024

Susan St John (with Brian Easton and Len Cook)  Addressing financial hardship. Brightstar conference ‘Delivering equity for Older New Zealanders’, 31st April/1st May 2024, Millenium Hotel PIE Commentary 2024-4. Economic Policy Centre

April 2024

St John, S (2024) Simplistic views of the causes of inflation don’t do the left any favours. Daily Blog, 10th April

March 2024

St John, S (2024) PIE Commentary 2024-2: Superannuation – a fiscal challenge or opportunity?  Contribution to The Retirement Commission’s Super Summit: New Zealand Super Issues and Options 21st March 2024, Wellington.

February 2024

St John, S (2024) Is child poverty really too hard to cure?  Daily Blog 28th February 2024

St John, S ( 2024) Opinion: The Government’s great welfare reset is a broken record  TVNZ One news   21st Feb 2024 republished University Auckland news.

Stats show “an unprecedented depth of poverty” : Economist  RNZ Interview Susan St John 24th Feb Nine to Noon

Fears Government will target more beneficiaries after moves to impose sanctions on job seekers RNZ Midday report St John spoke to Charlotte Cook, 20th Feb 2024

January, 2024

December, 2023

St John, S (2023) “New Zealand’s housing market drives inequality. Why not just tax houses like any other income? “  2023: A year of consequence—Essays that got the world talking, The Conversation, editors Grattan, M and Bergman J, Thames and Hudson, Australia

November 2023

St John, S (2023)  The coalition agreement for Working for Families is very weak but tweaks could improve it.  Daily Blog 27th November, 2023

Dale, C & St John (2023)  Who’ll pay to care for us when we grow old, and then even older?  
Newsroom 12th November

St John, S (2023) If NZ’s new government wants a simple fix to improve child poverty, here’s what it should do   The Conversation, 10th November 2023, republished NZ Herald

October 2023

St John, S and O’Brien, M (2023).  Structuring taxes to achieve equitable and efficient outcomes. CPAG 2023 Policy Brief Tax .

September 2023

Susan St John (Sept 2023) What does the unique New Zealand approach to pensions policy offer women? guest speaker at the 1st Annual Pension Conference 14th September Pensión Research & Consulting: Building Gold Standard for Private Pensions hosted as a virtual event

St John, S (2023) The Labour-National consensus on family support means the election won’t change much for NZ’s poorest households The Conversation, 12th September and  PIE Commentary 2023-11: The strange coalescence of agreement by Labour and National on Working for Families.

Susan St John and Claire Dale Podcast: interviewed by Sangita Chawla, Chief Marketing Officer at Standard Life. What the UK can learn about auto-enrolment from New Zealand | Thinking Forward | Standard Life  and article  New Zealand’s KiwiSaver: a template for auto-enrolment reform in the UK?.

August 2023

St John, S (2023) So this is the best we can expect from the Working for Families (WFF) review?14th August 2023

St John, S (2023) What are we to make of welfare and Working For Families reform now? Daily Blog 10th August, 2023

July 2023

St John, S ( 2023)When will we ever learn? Daily Blog 31st July, 2023

St John, S (2023), All for an extra $20 a week?   Daily Blog 17th July 2023

St John, S (2023)  Paid Parental Leave KiwiSaver contributions. Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill – commentary on the Bill. Pension and Intergenerational Equity Hub PIE submission.

June 2023

St John, S, O’Brien, M (2023) Fix “Working For Families” income assistance for children in low-income families, CPAG 2023 Policy Brief series

O’Brien, M , St John, S, ( 2023) Benefit income adequacy  CPAG 2023 Policy Brief series

St John, S, ( 2023) Outdated income relationship rules CPAG 2023 Policy Brief series

St John, S (2023)    NZ’s housing-market drives-inequality why not just tax houses like any other income.  The Conversation, 21st June 2023, also Stuff, interest.co

May 2023

St John, S and O’Brien M (2023) Modelling income adequacy for those on benefits   Report based on a welfare model developed for CPAG by Dr Yun So, Economics Policy Centre, University of Auckland.

April 2023

St John, S.( 2023) Lets have some straight talking on tax   Interest.co.nz.  25th April , 2023

St John, S. ( 2023) A prayer to the god of small things, Daily Blog 24th April 2023

March 2023

St John, S (2023) Let them eat cake   Daily Blog 23rd March

February 2023

St John, S. (2023) What comes next Labour? Time for transformational change- PLEASE Lets just do it this time.  Daily Blog 10th February 2023

St John, S (2023) We need to talk about the New Zealand Super Fund, Daily Blog 1st February

January 2023

St John.S ( 2023) Flying blind into the recession  Daily Blog 27th January

St John,S (2023) Serious deficiencies in the social policy processes  Daily Blog 7th January

December 2022

St John, S (2022)  Basic Income for the old and the young in New Zealand. PIE Briefing 2022-2:

Christmas Wishes For a More Generous New Year   CPAG Press release, 22nd Dec,

November 2022

St John, S No excuses for hungry children,   NZ Herald, 29th November

St John, S. Monetary policy, inflated house prices and lack of tax made it worse, Radio NZ interview 11th November

October 2022

St John, S (2022) Child Poverty in NZ- what is the truth here? Daily Blog 10th October

September 2022

St John, S (2022) Is KiwiSaver fit for the 2050? panel discussion, FSC conference, 23rd September  Cordis hotel Auckland

St John, S & Baucher S. ( 2022) PIE Policy Report 2022-2: Fair Economic Return Revisited. Presented at the housing affordability conference, EPC 9th Sept Auckland Business School, power point presentation,  ppts FER 9th sept

August 2022

St John, S. (2022) If we want a fair system lets fix our low rate broad-base system    Newsroom August 30th 2022

St John, S. (2022) Poverty is not a partisan issue, Newsroom,5th August 2022

July 2022

St John, S. ( 2022)   Social security purposes and principles are cold comfort for too many NZ Herald 25th July 2022

St John, S ( 2022) Here is what must happen in child poverty before the end of this year Daily Blog 21st July

St John, S quoted in Carmel Sepuloni receives review into Working for Families, but some worried focus is not on poverty – NZ Herald 28th July

June 2022

St John, S (2022)  The only trade-off that matters.  Newsroom,15th June.

May 2022

St John, S (2022) Policy Report – The Irish Autoenrolment 
RPRC PR 2022-1 in AE-Ireland by TOR Financial Consulting Ltd. It draws on the New Zealand experience with KiwiSaver and its relevance for women.

St John, S. ( 2022) Improving the Child Poverty Reduction Framework 23rd May) CPAG commentary.

St John, S (2022) The budget will not feed hungry children Daily Blog 23rd May 2022

St John, S (2022)  Little hint of meaningful action Spinoff budget round table, 19th May

St John, S (2022)  interviewed by Susan Edmunds  Working for Families needs to do better.What do you want to see in the Budget this year? | Stuff.co.nz 15th May

April 2022

St John, S. (2022) interviewed by Isaac Davison NZ Herald on Marginal tax rates 22nd April

St John,S (2022)  interviewed by Susan Edmunds  Marginal tax rates  4th April

March 2022

St John, S (2022) Children shouldn’t  pay for a broken system
Newsroom 24th March 2022

St John, S (2022) International Women’s Day, New Zealand is still a long way from gender equality, Newsroom,  8th March 2022

St John, S (2022) The Purpose and Principles of the Social Security Act, The Daily Blog, 2nd March 2022

February 2022

Dale, M, St John S (2022) Long term in-home and residential care for New Zealand’s ageing population Long term aged care for New Zealand’s ageing population RPRC PensionBriefing 2022-1, 23 February

Asher I, St John, S. & G Craw, CPAG Submission: On the Accident Compensation (Maternal Birth Injury and Other Matters) Amendment Bill (Jan 2022) as a PDF (Word Doc), 11th February, 2022

St John, S (2022) Social insurance , Newsroom, 7th Feb 2022

Job benefit plan misses mark Waatea News, 10th February, 2022. Concerns new income insurance plans could drive inequality, Radio New Zealand Audio. 2nd February 2021

January 2022

St John, S (2022) Tackling the Big Issues in 2022? Yeah Right! | The Daily Blog  17th January, 2022

St John, S ( 2022) Our accidental ACC scheme, New Zealand Herald dialogue page 12th January 2022

Latest news 2021

December

St John, S (2021) Time to rock the KiwiSaver boat  27th Dec interest.co.nz

November

St John, S (2021) What could possibly go wrong next? Daily Blog, 27th November 2021

St John , S  & Neuwelt, C (2021) Australia and NZ tax credits for children. A 5-year comparison: July 2018- July 2023 – Part 2 of the Rethinking Income Support for Children series CPAG backgrounder, 18th November 2021.

St John, S ( 2021) Let them eat cake  Daily Blog 15th November 2021

St John, S ( 2021) Urgent reform of Working for Families needed – not tinkering  8th November 2021

 

October

St John, S ( 2021) Interview with Waatea Radio on Working for Families policy changes , interview here, 22nd October 2021

St John, S ( 2021) Mercer’s pensions index,The Panel with Andrew Hoggard and Mihingarangi Forbes (Part 2) From Radio New Zealand Audio

St John, S (2021). Time for bold action for children,New Zealand Herald, 21st October 2021

  September

St John, S(2021) Working for families isn’t working for poor families Daily Blog 20th September

St John, S (2021)  Is appeal to self-interest the answer?  St John, (2021) Daily Blog 13th September 2021. Chris Trotter reply:Not Understood: Chris Trotter Replies To Susan St John

Taxing pensioners’ other income at higher rate ‘could be better way to make super affordable’  Susan Edmunds, Stuff 2nd September

St John, S ( 2021) What a disgusting state of affairs | The Daily Blog   2nd September, 2021. Chris Trotter reply:Staying focussed, Why Labour still wont help the poor 

August

St John, S ( 2021) New Zealand Superannuation Fund  PensionCommentary 2021-2  RPRC, 30th August 2021

St John, S ( 2021) New Zealand Superannuation as a basic  income  PensionBriefing 2021-2  RPRC, 27th August 2021

St John,S (2021) Will the New Zealand Super Fund help pay the costs of the babyboom retirement? interest.co.nz 16th August, 2021

St John, S (2021)  Pressure points in our polices facing up to the ageing population University of Auckland  Alumni series Shaping  our Futures 10th August 2021 RPRC event summary

July

St John, S ( 2021) Housing is Labour’s Achilles’ Heel, interest.co.nz, 30th July, 2021

June

Susan St John and Terry Baucher, The Fair Economic Return: Restoring equity to the social fabric of New Zealand. RPRC working paper 2021-1 30th June.

NZH, Susan St John: ‘Running a gender equity lens over social policies, childbirth, women’s work’, 27 June, 2021

Susan  St John, S (2021)  ACC papers on Women Maori Pacifica and disabled, Radio NZ, Waitea News, 22nd  June, 2021

May

Susan St John. S (2021) Commentary on the 2021 budget   The SpinOff, 20th May 2021

St John, S (2021) Running a gender lens over our sacred social policies Daily Blog, 13th May 2021

St John, S (2021) Interview with Bernard Hickey on financial priorities Lower debt in, cutting child poverty out: podcast 7th May, 2021

Neuwellt, C , St John , S (2021)  Rethinking Income Support for Children Part 1: Ensuring Adequate Indexation of Working for Families,   CPAG backgrounder, 4th May 2021

April

Susan St John and Terry Baucher (2021) The housing crisis, taxation policy: restoring equity to the social fabric of New Zealand Wednesday, Auckland University of Technology, 28th April  2021.

St John, S (2021) Oral submission to the Finance and Expenditure Committee: The Budget Policy Statement We are facing a pandemic of poverty that has been intensified by COVID | The Daily Blog Daily Blog 3rd April 2021

March

St John, S (2021) Submission to the Pensions Commission Ireland on reform of the state pension, RPRC, submissions, March 2021 Irish submission 9th March RPRC NZ final.pdf (auckland.ac.nz)

St John, S (2021)  IRD, Treasury and MSD – Does the tail wag the dog? Daily Blog, 12th March 2021

St John, S  (2021)  International women’s day? How are the worst off mothers and their kids doing?  Daily Blog: 5th March 2021

February

St John, S ( 2021) Time to use the Tax hose on the housing market, NZ herald 24th February, 2021

January

St John, S ( 2021) Any economic fix starts with fixing inequality (paywalled) and audio link here, National Business Review, 7th January 2021, PDF here

2020 News

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2019 News

December
November
October
September
July
June
May
April
March
January

2018 News

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2017 News

December
  • St John, S (2017) am Show, The families package, 7am 15th December, 2017
  • St John, S. with Cotterell, G., Dale C., and So, Y. Further fraying of the welfare safety net, CPAG, Launch December 18th 2017.
  • St John, S ( 2017) Some personal reflections Symposium Fifty years from the Woodhouse Report. A celebration and assessment of ACC, Policy Observatory, AUT, 11th December 2017
  • St John, S (2017) panel discussant- Interpreting the figures: Child Poverty Monitor Launch, Auckland City mission, 7th December, 2017
  • St John, S (2017). Woodhouse at 50, Safeguard Magazine, November/December issue 166
November
October
September
August
July
June
April May
January February March

2016 News

December
November
October
September
August
july
June
May
April
March
  • St John, S (2016) Guest lecture ‘Is there an elephant in the room?’ Mt Eden’s IKA lunchtime lecture 30 March
  • St John, S (2106) Paid Parental leave CPAG submission select committee, 16th March
  • St John, S and M. O’Brien Workshop on Working for Families, University of Auckland Business School,17th march
  • St John, S and M. O’Brien Workshop on Working for Families, UNICEF, Wellington,21st March
  • St John, S. (2016) Jam tomorrow Jam yesterday. NEVER EVER JAM TODAY! 26th March
February
  • St John, S (2016) The looming demographic pensions disaster. Daily Blog, 29th February
  • St John, S (2016) Can older citizens lead the way to a universal basic income? In Basic Income in the Antipodes: Perspectives from the ‘Other Side of the World’. (Editors: Jenni Mays, Greg Marston and John Tomlinson)
  • St John, S (2016) Brief of evidence in the Employment Court 10th Feb
January

2015 News

November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
January/February