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Maori Leaders No More Responsible For Abuse
Maori Leaders Are No More Responsible For Child Abuse Than Pakeha Leaders
Paula Bennett’s demand that Maori leaders take responsibility and front up with money to help pay for child abuse support services is a form of institutional racism and will do nothing to help the cause of at risk children, said Green Party Co-leader Metiria Turei today.
“Laying blame at the feet of Maori leaders demonstrates that the Key Government doesn’t have a meaningful plan for dealing with our some of our most vulnerable children,” said Mrs Turei.
“Child abuse statistics for Maori children are very serious. However, the whole community needs to take responsibility for the conditions that lead to such abuse and for the silence that allows it to occur.
“Paula Bennett singles out Maori when abuse is rife through all communities. Where is her call to Pakeha leaders, to religious organisations, to the State itself for the abuses that took place in their hands?”
Mrs Turei concluded that the Minister of Social Development is using Maori as a scapegoat to distract from her own Government’s policies that are significantly increasing the risk children face. For example, the Ministry of Social Welfare found in 2002 that work testing sole parents raised serious child welfare issues.
“The Key Government passed new legislation this week to work test sole parents despite the evidence of significant their children face being left home alone or inadequately supervised while they work,” said Mrs Turei.
“On a bigger scale, National’s economic policies have failed to turn around the wide gap between the rich and poor in New Zealand leaving thousands of kiwi kids and their families in serious poverty while cutting taxes for those on high incomes.”
“Individuals who abuse children must be held to account and subjected to the full force of the law, as must the Ministers of Social Development and governments who promote poverty and discrimination,” said Mrs Turei.
2002 Ministry of Social Development report on welfare reforms: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/archive/2002-evaluatingdpbreforms.pdf
ENDS
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