Salvation Army State of the Nation

The Herald reports:

Crime is at a 34-year low, incomes and employment are rising and teenage pregnancy has plunged, a new report on the state of our nation shows.

Research by the Salvation Army also shows infant mortality is the lowest in our history, achievement gaps between rich and poor schools are closing, gambling is declining, and Auckland’s housing shortage is finally starting to ease as house-building recovers from the recession.

Even child poverty may be declining, although it’s too soon to be sure.

This is a report from the Salvation Army, not the Government. Not bad.

But other problems are not budging. Child abuse is still rising, New Zealand’s imprisonment rate remains one of the highest in the world, the Salvation Army is still giving out more food parcels, and household debt is increasing again after briefly dipping in the recession.

I’m not sure child abuse rates are still rising and the imprisonment rate is dropping.