Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
License needed for work use Register
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Responsibility not Fault is the issue - Turia

“Responsibility not Fault is what we are looking for” says Turia

Tariana Turia, Maori Party Spokesperson on Social Development

Thursday 16 November 2006

Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party, today expressed concerns at reports that the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development has ‘lashed out’ at adult New Zealanders, asking them to stop blaming Government Departments for the appalling incidence of child murder in New Zealand.

Her statement followed reports of comments made yesterday by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development, Peter Hughes.

“We hardly expect the Head of the agency in charge of the state resources for family services, to come out against the very people they are supposed to support” said Mrs Turia.

“We all need to step up to the mark to consider how we can address these issues better”.

“That includes Government and state agencies taking responsibility for the problems they can do something about”.

Mrs Turia also referred to the advice that former Chief Social Worker, Mike Doolan, has presented in his new role as Senior Fellow at Te Awatea Violence Research Centre.

“Mr Doolan has urged the state to consider the area of child homicide more thoroughly, by looking into variables such as social class and income levels, family composition and social support, housing and environmental factors” said Mrs Turia.

“Other groups, such as the Child Poverty Action Group, have warned against ‘simple, cheap solutions – the politically appealing ones' – which CPAG describes as having consequences that are as grave as the problems they set out to address” said Mrs Turia.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“We must resist the tendency for simplistic blaming and naming of families as being at fault” said Mrs Turia.

“None of us are exempt from the crisis of family violence occurring in Aotearoa” said Mrs Turia.

“The Maori Party is forever saying we must all take a big step forward, in tackling the complex set of circumstances that lead to violence – poor health, greater gaps between rich and poor, economic hardship, a lack of material or spiritual resources to respond to stress, social deprivation, inequalities and injustice”.

“The list is long, the urgency great, and we all need to do our part in lifting the game right now” said Mrs Turia "and that includes the Ministry of Social Development".


ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

Gordon Campbell: On The New Government’s Policies Of Yesteryear

Winston Peters is routinely described as the kingmaker who decides whether the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded, but equally important role as the scapegoat who can be blamed for killing taxes that his senior partners never much wanted in the first place. Neither Ardern nor Robertson for example, really wanted a capital gains tax, for fear of Labour copping the “tax and spend“ label they ended up being saddled with anyway. Usefully though, they could tell the party faithful it was wicked old Winston who killed the CGT... More

Government: National, ACT, & NZ First To Deliver For All Kiwis

The National Party claims the new coalition government will be stable, effective, and will deliver for all Kiwis. "Despite the challenging economic environment, New Zealanders can look forward to a better future because of the changes the new Government will make ... We know that, with the right leadership, the right policies, and the right direction, together New Zealanders can make this an even better country," says Christopher Luxon... More

ALSO:


 
 
Green Party: Petition To Save Oil & Gas Ban

“The new Government’s plan to expand oil and gas exploration is as dangerous as it is unscientific. Whatever you think about the new government, there is simply no mandate to trash the climate. We need to come together to stop them,” says James Shaw... More

PSA: MFAT Must Reverse Decision To Remove Te Reo

MFAT's decision to remove te reo from correspondence before new Ministers are sworn in risks undermining the important progress the public sector has made in honouring te Tiriti. "We are very disappointed in what is a backward decision - it simply seems to be a Ministry bowing to the racist rhetoric we heard on the election campaign trail," says Marcia Puru... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.