Children’s charities are urging the New Zealand government to do more to help the most vulnerable in society after a Guardian report highlighted the extent of child poverty in the country.

More than 300,000 children live in poverty in New Zealand – an increase of 45,000 since a year ago and double the number since 1984.

The Unicef country executive director was quoted as saying New Zealanders’ empathy had hardened towards its most vulnerable citizens, and child poverty was becoming “normalised” in the island nation of 4.5 million.

But the government has hit back, saying criticism in the story is not justified.

Read the full article in The Guardian here.