“I am just astounded that Helen Clark can send a message to people that it is alright to brutalise your children if you are poor,” Dr Newman said.

“ She is even out of step with her own Minister of Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia, who at least has had the courage to demand that Maori in particular take responsibility and address the shocking level of child abuse in Maoridom,” she said.

Latest figures released by the Child Youth and Family Service showed Maori children were five times more likely to be abused than their pakeha counterparts.

“Mr Horomia says, quite rightly, that child abuse can not be tolerated in any culture and that makes a mockery of the Prime Minister’s claim that poverty is at the root of the /problem,”

Dr Newman said. “Of course many people on low incomes are having trouble coping but poverty and culture do not cause abuse. Violence is a learned behaviour.

“It is outrageous that a Labour Prime Minister, bereft of answers, is prepared to resort to the old left wing agenda of throwing money at the problem. “

Her comments are even more outlandish given the fact that they came at the same time as a Maori church leader, the Rev Muru Walters, passionately acknowledged that it is the disregard for protecting whanau and whanautanga, that is giving way to a frightening cycle of abuse among Maori.

The ‘let’s not speak out’ attitude is disgraceful as is the Government’s pitiful lack of action in favour of leftist dogma,” Dr Newman said.

Ends

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