Care-experienced rangatahi are pleading with the government to reconsider the move to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour introduced a bill to repeal the section earlier this year, which requires the ministry to consider whakapapa and the Treaty of Waitangi when making decisions about children and young people in state care.

Its second reading takes place this week, meaning that time is running out to stop the repeal in its tracks.

VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai has been advocating for care experienced tamariki since 2017, and CEO Tracie Shipton says young people right across Aotearoa are opposing the move.

“From Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) to Te Waipounamu (The South Island), rangatahi have mobilised to share their concerns, and yet the government is still digging its heels in and refusing to budge.”

“Right now is crunch time. The runway to stop this bill from going ahead is getting shorter and shorter. But there is still a chance to make a difference, and show these young people that they have been heard.”

The second reading comes weeks after VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai released a video campaign which shares the voices of twelve care-experienced people and their tamariki. The 45 second video centres around what rangatahi would be forced to do should the repeal go ahead, and how they "shouldn't have to”.

“Every word in that campaign spells out the importance of section 7AA. Young people in care shouldn’t be denied access to their culture and heritage, they shouldn’t have to wonder where they belong and they shouldn’t have to fight to find out.”

National Care Experienced Lead Tupua Urlich (Ngāti Kahungungu) says the government talked the talk during its national apology, but believes now is the time for it to walk the walk.

“On the one hand the government has acknowledged the harm that it inflicted as well as the intergenerational trauma and the alienation from culture and whakapapa; and on the other hand it’s trying to remove the very thing that could help to stop it from happening in the future.”

With Māori disproportionately impacted by the care system, Urlich and Shipton say that 7AA is the only accountability mechanism that holds the CEO of Oranga Tamariki to account for reducing disparity for Māori.

“Any attempt to amend or weaken 7AA undermines the fundamental rights of Māori as guaranteed by Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) and threatens to marginalise a community that has been historically disadvantaged.”

“Upholding 7AA is essential - not only for the protection of Māori children in the state care system, but also for the recognition of their cultural identity and the responsibility of the government to ensure equitable treatment for all citizens.”

ABOUT VOYCE:

We are VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai, which stands for Voice of the Young and Care Experienced – Listen to me. Established in 2017, we are an independent charity organisation that helps to advocate for the approximately 6000 children with care experience (children in foster or whanau care) in New Zealand.

We exist to amplify the voices of these children and ensure that they are heard – so as to positively influence their individual care and to collectively affect change in the wider care system. VOYCE was co-designed by children with care experience for children with care experience.

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