Yesterday, the government turned its back entirely on mokopuna Māori, in a final act to remove the only glimmer of light upon our whakapapa.

"This direct violation upon our future uri goes beyond any other government attempt to diminish our rights as a people - rights that will mean nothing if our mokopuna continue to be disconnected from their anchors of whānau and identity.

“It is about our ultimate right to continue to exist as a Māori people, within our ao Māori, for generations to come,” says Te Pāti Māori Spokesperson for Oranga Tamariki, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi.

“Section 7AA meant the government had to apply Te Tiriti in working with our babies, in working with Māori, from whānau through to iwi, to reduce the indiscriminate taking of our brown babies.

“We must also acknowledge the whakapapa of 7AA –a product of years of commitment by Māori and Tangata Tiriti. We have heard countless stories from whānau that 7AA influenced the system to do better by our Māori babies. It saved hundreds from further trauma.

“Despite piles of evidence and submissions saying to keep whakapapa and Te Tiriti protected by 7AA, the government has shown that it does not care one bit.

"For those who have suffered by and worked in "state care" and youth justice for many years, for those who are still seeking mokopuna justice, who only to have this repeal take us back decades - ka nui te aroha," says Kapa-Kingi.

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