Te Pāti Māori has responded to the recently released report of the Oranga Tamariki Advisory Board; Hipokingia ki te Kahu Aroha, hipokingia ki te katoa.

“This is the 19th report that has highlighted Oranga Tamariki’s abysmal failure and its active enabling of state abuse of our mokopuna and whanau. The 19th report and still nothing has ever changed. What is going to be the difference this time?” says Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“One of the very first recommendations of the review states that adequate resources and authority must be shared equitably with Māori and that overtime services provided by Oranga Tamariki should be provided by Māori and community groups. This is the very basis of our Mokopuna Maori Policy.

“A by Māori for Māori, according to Māori approach is the bare minimum. Not a by Māori, for Māori, according to Pākeha approach. For Te Pāti Māori, this means establishing an independent Mokopuna Maori entity with at least $600 million to go directly to Māori” says Mrs Ngarewa-Packer.

“The entire system is rotten to the core and requires immediate dismantling. Fiddling with the current structure is knowingly committing our mokopuna to a lifetime of continued trauma and abuse” says co-leader Rawiri Waititi.

“Nearly 70% of our babies make up the system. We have the solutions. We know better and we must do better. The crown needs to get out of the way and devolve decision making power and resource to Māori.

“If nothing drastic changes, we will be left with no option but to revolt. We did it when our foreshore and seabed was being stripped from us, and we will do it again if the state continues to steal our babies” says Mr Waititi.

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