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June 29, 2023
Davidson demands assurances on Oranga Tamariki oversight
Adam Gifford
Posted On June 29, 2023
Download AudioGreens co-leader and Family Violence Minister Marama Davidson says she’s confident changes to the monitoring role of the Children’s Commissioner won’t mean less oversight of Oranga Tamariki.
From July 1 the commissioner will be replaced by a Children and Young People’s Commission which will continue her advocacy role.
The Ombudsman takes over responsibility for investigating complaints and decisions about individual children, while oversight of Oranga Tamariki shifts to a new Independent Monitor.
The Greens opposed the changes, but Ms Davidson says she met this week with Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani to get assurances checks will continue.
“The Children’s Commissioner will still be able to approach and monitor residences the way she did under her international agreements. There’s also the Independent Children’s Monitor and what I’ve sought assurance about for Oranga Tamariki is that we are still going to have enough checks and balances in place, but also, we need to be preventing this happening in the very first place,” she says.
Ms Davidson says there is broad agreement of the need to move away from care and protection residences and resource communities to play a greater role.
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