Anti-child poverty advocates and the New Zealand government have clashed on the latest figures, which show a small decrease on the number of Kiwi kids in severe hardship.
On Thursday, Stats NZ released its annual data on child poverty, showing gradual improvement.
A key metric, the percentage of children living in households in material hardship, fell from 11 per cent to 10.3 per cent in the year ending in June 2022, suggesting 118,900 children in those situations.
Material hardship means children are missing out on healthy food, doctors visits or paying their power bills on time.
"Child poverty statistics have not changed compared with last year," Stats NZ spokesman Sean Broughton said.
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) chair Innes Asher labelled the figure "appalling".
"The future is bleak for these children who are languishing in poverty. The country's future is also blighted by this because we're not investing in children," Dr Asher said.
CPAG's frustration comes from the fact Jacinda Ardern's government established a Welfare Expert Advisory Group to report on a pathway out of poverty, which it did in 2019.
Dr Asher said not one of the recommendations had been fully implemented in the four years since.
"The government has tinkered with policies here and there but there's been no game changer that gives those of us advocating for children any real hope that the situation will be turned around. It's shameful," she said.
The material hardship figures are worse for Maori, Pasifika and disabled children, with one in five Kiwi kids with a disability living in such a household.
Child poverty minister Jan Tinetti said there were 28,700 fewer children experiencing material hardship since 2018.
"Despite the most challenging economic conditions in a generation or more, actions taken by the Government have ensured that New Zealand children have not fallen backwards," she said.
"It's a challenging environment but child poverty figures staying steady this year is encouraging."
The government pointed to a suite of measures targeting those worse off, including tax credits, raised benefits and the minimum wage, a crackdown on predatory lending, and making doctors' visits free for under-14s.
There are fears the issue will slip in importance following Ms Ardern's political retirement.
Sir Collin Tukuitonga, associate professor at the University of Auckland said he believed new PM Chris Hipkins "bread and butter" approach would not be kind to impoverished children.
"Reducing child poverty is just too hard," he told AAP.
"I thought Ardern was pretty courageous to take that on because it's dependent on so many factors beyond the government's control.
"I'm not sure Hipkins would want to tie his colours to the mast in the way Ardern did."
