The Productivity Commission was asked to look at the persistence of disadvantage, influenced by the quality of economic inclusion and social mobility. We examined their influence on individuals, different population groups and wider society, and the link to productivity and economic performance to:
- generate new insights about the dynamics and drivers of persistent disadvantage, and the incidence/impacts across different population groups, including social and economic factors; and
- develop recommendations for actions and system changes to break or mitigate the cycle of disadvantage (both within a person’s lifetime and intergenerationally)
From our unique and specialist perspective we examined why 697,000 New Zealanders experience persistent disadvantage.
People who are experiencing persistent disadvantage need to be empowered to influence the decisions that affect their lives. Through more effective support in their communities from people they trust and can hold accountable, and through long-term decisions and actions addressing the underlying causes, persistent disadvantage in Aotearoa New Zealand will steadily reduce over time.