New Children’s Commissioner

6 July 2011

• New Children’s Commissioner begins term
• Media contact details

On 1 July 2011 Dr Russell Wills officially began his appointment as New Zealand’s Children’s Commissioner. The appointment is for five years on a part-time basis. Dr Wills will continue to work as a paediatrician at the Hawke’s Bay DHB during this time.

Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills says, “It’s an exciting time to be starting this role. I get the feeling there’s a real appetite out there to make things better for New Zealand’s vulnerable children. The Green Paper is a great example of this. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the lives of children - and I think we’re more than ready to take full advantage of that.

“In the Hawke’s Bay we’ve innovated on many fronts to make real change for children. And we’ve succeeded on many levels, for example, dramatically reducing the number of injuries to children resulting from assault, neglect or maltreatment and improving immunisation rates. There’s every reason to believe we could achieve tangible results for children nationwide if we use the evidence base and share innovations.

“I’m looking forward to talking to New Zealanders about how we can improve the lot of our most vulnerable children when the Green Paper is released in August. Kiwis love children and want the best for them, so let’s make the most of the opportunity. We need to send a message that we’re prepared to do whatever it takes to give kiwi kids the best possible start in life.

“The media will have an important role in this. I’m hoping we can work together to make the issues clear and relevant to all New Zealanders”

ENDS

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