(University of Oregon School of Law, 2021-05-14) Zamprogno, Jasmine
In 2018, New Zealand introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018 (the Act), which was heralded at its inception as a definitive step in the right direction toward easing child poverty. However, the once-praised Act has failed thus far, as the number of children in poverty has increased since the introduction of the Act. This is thought to be because the Act is ineffective, as it lacks proper accountability mechanisms. Although legislators swore it imposed political accountability, the Act was entirely silent on any consequences that would be levied in the event the government failed to reduce child poverty numbers as promised. New Zealand has, therefore, made itself a case study for analyzing whether effective and tangible political accountability is the determinative factor of success in any domestic government program to ease poverty.
