March 21, 2022
Oranga Tamariki change on track says Davis
The Minister for Children says he’s happy with progress at Oranga Tamariki.
The child protection agency has come under fire continuing to uplift pepe and tamariki, and for failing to spend all the money it was allocated for services for the victims of sexual violence.
Kelvin Davis says acting chief executive Chappie Te Kani has assured him that money will be spent by the end of the financial year.
And he says compared with five years ago when more than 1000 Māori children were uplifted, last year the total was 250, and iwi are increasingly helping when such uplifts are necessary.
“We’ve already signed up with three iwi, Tainui, Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu, working with them on their plans. Those are fairly hefty iwi. They’ll be the ones running the needs of the children in their area, their taitamariki,” Mr Davis says.
He says everyone wants five-year strategies to happen in five weeks, but there has to be an orderly transition, which Mr Te Kani is working on.