Press release: Ka Mākona: Income Adequacy in Aotearoa New Zealand 2024

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective present you this year’s edition of Ka Mākona: Income Adequacy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ka Mākona provides a snapshot of the income and expenses of low-income households in urban and regional centres across Aotearoa. This snapshot helps to create an understanding of the root causes of food-related poverty for whānau and encourages us all into conversation and action for change.

Jennie Sim, author of Ka Mākona, explains “Food-related poverty, or food insecurity, is not about whether there is enough food in Aotearoa but about whānau having enough resources to access healthy affordable kai. Ensuring people have an adequate income to pay their basic bills is one way for us to ensure Aotearoa is food secure. Ka Mākona explores: who are the 15 – 20 % of our population in Aotearoa New Zealand experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity at any given time?”

This year, Ka Mākona is released on Labour Day, a holiday first commemorated in 1890 to celebrate New Zealand workers’ successful fight to claim an 8-hour workday.  Labour Day recognises that a worker should earn sufficient income from 8 hours work per day to provide for their family to thrive and allowing them both time and resource to contribute to their community. In 2024, Labour Day also coincides with the commemoration of He Whakaputanga, the 1835 Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, itself a declaration that focused on good trade and the health and well-being of all.

New Zealand has historically fought to value workers and people's right to an adequate income.  Ka Mākona explores who experiences food insecurity because of inadequate income, like the 850,000 people across a breadth of occupations whose starting wages fall within the low incomes the report models. Inadequate income is currently experienced by around 20% of our working age population.

Jake Lilley, Senior Policy Advisor at FinCap, states, “This report is so helpful in our work towards financial wellbeing in Aotearoa. It has the up to date, indisputable facts about the financial stress so many whānau cannot avoid.”

Jennie Sim acknowledges that, “While little has changed in the past year for those on low incomes, Ka Mākona identifies levers for change that could make a real difference to these whānau. We also highlight some great examples of those who are working to bring about positive change.”

Kore Hiakai Zero Hunger Collective long for an Aotearoa where everyone, at all times, has access to enough affordable, good food so that all can thrive and be prosperous. It is our hope that this resource can equip both our conversations and our actions, so that we can ensure those on low incomes can thrive.  We only thrive as a community when all of us thrive.

He kai kei tātou ringaringa – there is food at the end of our hands.

Please direct all media inquiries to: Jennie Sim - jennie@korehiakai.org.nz