Jess Berentson-Shaw | Page 2 | The Morgan Foundation

6 Things Governments Could Invest in that Actually Work (or how to stop throwing money down the loo)

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 13, 2017Tax and Welfare

No single group operating in the policy space (or politics) owns fiscal responsibility as an idea. Rather fiscal responsibility is something all Governments are concerned about (in fact legally they have to be as we have an act that covers … Read More

Government Should Focus on Caring Work Like they Focus on Cows

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 9, 2017Economics

Yesterday was International Women’s Day. Putting aside the number of men who asked when International Men’s day is (it’s November 19th), many in the policy and political space spent time reflecting on how gender bias still holds us back economically. … Read More

Families Who Find Themselves Poor in New Zealand: Some Important Data

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 7, 2017Tax and Welfare

How many families with children find themselves struggling with rising costs in New Zealand? According to research by Statistics New Zealand in 2009, over half of New Zealand families experience at least a year of income poverty after the arrival … Read More

Raising the Age for Superannuation: Fine for Big Ted, but what about Manu?

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 6, 2017Uncategorized

With an aging population and people living much longer than they did we are in a position of having more people not working than working- which is a problem because it is working people that pay for super. In addition … Read More

Pennies from Heaven – Why cash works best to ensure all children thrive

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 2, 2017Tax and Welfare

Today the Morgan Foundation’s new book Pennies from heaven is released. In it we propose that all New Zealand families with a child under 3 years of age receive $200 a week unconditional payment called a “Thriving Child” payment. We … Read More

Employment Policy Built on Quality Evidence or Reckons?

Jess Berentson-ShawMarch 1, 2017Tax and Welfare

Recently the Prime Minister Bill English followed in the tradition of the previous Prime Minster John Key and suggested the reason we had a skills shortage was because young people could not pass drugs tests . He said this was … Read More

Where is the vision for thriving lives for all Kiwis?

Jess Berentson-ShawFebruary 8, 2017Tax and Welfare

Today the Salvation Army released its annual state of the nation report. It highlights particularly the lack of evidence that crime is on the rise, and questions the focus of spending on policing and prisons. Instead it asks why is … Read More

We Can Improve Children’s Lives if We Choose: We Need to Understand these 6 Things

Jess Berentson-ShawDecember 13, 2016Tax and Welfare

The latest child poverty monitor has been released, but nothing has changed. Let me predict: commentators & politicians will argue over poverty measurements, the ‘real’ numbers, parents will be blamed, social investment mentioned and our focus will slide oh so … Read More

Does the State Have a Clue how to Look After Children Yet?

Jess Berentson-ShawDecember 2, 2016Tax and Welfare

The abuse of children while ‘in the care of the State’ in the 1950’s, 60s and 70’s in New Zealand is a dirty smear on our system of so called ‘child protection’. The excoriating interview of Social Development Minister Tolley … Read More

The Case for A Basic Income for Families with Children in New Zealand

Jess Berentson-ShawNovember 18, 2016Tax and Welfare

It is amazing what a difference a few miles (and a totally different political paradigm) can make to the vulnerable in society. While in the US life looks like becoming a lot harder for those on low incomes with the … Read More