July 05, 2022
Davis defends Tukaki choice
Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis says the former head of his ministerial advisory board looking into Oranga Tamariki is under fire because he’s an ‘uppity Māori’.
TVNZ has run a story claiming Matthew Tukaki’s job history wasn’t checked before he was appointed to government roles.
Mr Davis says he picked the board based on what he knew of Mr Tukaki’s work in te ao Māori since returning to New Zealand, not what he did in Australia – in the same way he selected the other members of the panel, Tā Mark Solomon, Dame Naida Glavish and Shannon Pakura.
He’s controversial but he gets results.
“The work he did for the ministerial advisory board speaks for itself. he’s being condemned for being highly successful and some people don’t like that, Some people, don’t like the uppity Māori but I can’t fault his work,” Mr Davis says.
Matthew Tukaki was last week appointed director of the Suicide Prevention Office.