October 25, 2022
No excuses taken for Oranga Tamariki mistakes
Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa says Oranga Tamariki is indefensible.
Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis has backed his department after the chief ombudsman slammed its failure to act on warnings about 5-year-old Malachi Subecz, who was murdered by his caregiver a year ago.
Ms Ngarewa Packer when Oranga Tamariki makes such mistakes, they can be fatal.
“I don’t buy into this ‘hey we’ve got some good stories.’ This isn’t an opportunity for spin doctoring. What it is is a minister who needs to take stock of the village he is responsible for that is consistently hurting, mainaing, displacing tamariki from whanau,” she says.
Ms Ngarewa Packers says Kelvin Davis is stopping Oranga Tamariki handing power to Maori organisations ready to look after the children.
The Maori Party also wants to see mandatory reporting of abuse.