E nga mana, e nga reo, tena koutou katoa, tena hoki tatou i nga ahuatanga o te wa.

All New Zealanders are deeply concerned about child abuse.

We know Maori feature prominently in our child abuse statistics and we need to address this issue.

Here’s a snapshot of the Maori situation:

• Maori children are twice as likely to be abused as children from other groups


• New Zealand has the third highest rate of infanticide in the OECD, with around a third of those deaths being Maori children


• There are statistically significant differences in the rate of homicide of Maori and non-Maori children and the differences have widened over the past 25 years


• The child most at risk of fatal violence in New Zealand between 1991 and 2000 was less than one year of age, male, and Maori. He was most likely to die from battering, sustaining head and other fatal bodily injuries inflicted by one of his parents.

I would like to invite you to a special church service this Sunday at 4.00pm at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, cnr Khyber Pass Rd and Burleigh St, Auckland. The purpose of this service is to remember those children who have died and commence community action to bring down the numbers of Maori children being abused.

The service will feature readings and reflections from:

• Broadcasters Carole Hirschfeld, John Campbell and Julian Wilcox


• Broadcaster and child advocate Judy Bailey


• Comedian Mike King


• Health worker and songstress Leonie Matoe


• Hinewehi Mohi

I have invited professionals and community workers to gather for three days after the service to develop a strategy to reduce the incidence of Maori child abuse.

I look forward to seeing as many of you s possible at the Service on Sunday.

Dr Hone Kaa

ENDS

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