The Best Start Programme is the payment of 60 dollars a week to parents of newborns, which anyone can get, and one that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said was instrumental in her bid to reduce child poverty.

In the 2019-20 year, $131 million was paid out as part of Best Start, with more than $35 million going to families who are earning more than six figures.

$5.5 million for families earning over $200 thousand and $13 million for families earning more than $150 thousand.

Auckland University associate professor and founding member of Child Poverty Action Group, Susan St John told Mike Hosking a reform is well overdue.

“I would be one that would be advocating for adding Best Start to the Working for Families tax credit so that you don’t end up paying it right up the income scale.”

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