Survivors Deserve More Than Empty Words
Te Pāti Māori acknowledge all survivors of state abuse, and our mokopuna currently incarcerated by the state.
We acknowledge the hundreds of morehu who were unable to receive their apology from the Crown in person as the government were not willing to accommodate them.
We hear you, we see you, and we love you.
“An apology needs to be accompanied by redress, and a proactive commitment to never repeat the actions you are apologising for. All the Crown has given today is hollow words” said Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Oranga Tamariki.
“That survivors were made to sign up for a ballot to determine whether they could attend their own apology is symbolic of just how disingenuous the apology is”.
Te Pāti Māori are reaffirming our commitment to survivors and to our mokopuna incarcerated by the state:
- We will implement all 138 recommendation from the Whanaketia – Through Pain and Trauma, From Darkness to Light Report
- We will establish a Mokopuna Māori Authority, created by Survivors and Māori for a by Māori, for Māori, to Māori approach to mokopuna care.
“Anything less than this and it’s our mokopuna who will be apologising for us 30 years from now” said Kapa-Kingi.
“It’s on us that this apology is taking place on the same week that we will be debating the Treaty Principles Bill, when breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi were identified by Whanaketia as one of the most prolific drivers of state abuse” Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said.
“In 2021, the Waitangi Tribunal concluded that ‘reform of Oranga Tamariki, no matter how well designed, will ultimately fail another generation of children.’ In other words, Oranga Tamariki is fundamentally broken and needs to be dismantled. This is what survivors are calling for”.
“As the Crown comes to grips with the extent of the trauma they have created, Te Pāti Māori will do all we must to hold them accountable beyond their apology” said Te Pāti Māori co-leader Ngarewa-Packer.
“Abuse and Care are two words that should never be seen together” Kapa-Kingi said.