League Urges Progress on State Care Inquiry
Friday, 3 November 2017, 3:37 pm
Press Release: Maori Women's Welfare League
League Urges Progress on State Care Inquiry
All
three Government parties supported the call for an inquiry
into abuse of children in State care and it is time now for
that support to turn into action.
“The Inquiry features
in Labour’s 100 day plan but to date there has been no
indication of how this commitment is to be carried out”,
according to Prue Kapua, President of the Maori Women’s
Welfare League.
The United Nations Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination, in its report on New
Zealand in September 2017, expressed alarm at the reports of
abuse of children in foster care and State care, noting that
the majority were Māori. The UN Committee recommended the
immediate establishment of an independent Commission of
Inquiry.
“Māori children are still being placed in
State care at a higher rate than any other group” Ms Kapua
says. “And that has always been the case. Systemic
changes are vital to ensure abuse does not happen in the
future. And we need to provide proper support for those who
today live with the trauma of what they suffered while the
State was supposed to be looking after them.”
Ms Kapua
has emphasised that the terms of reference for the Inquiry
and the Inquiry membership is fundamental to ensuring
effective outcomes.
“I trust that the Government
ministers charged with progressing this Inquiry will ensure
victims and bodies and organisations that have had a long
involvement in this issue are consulted so that we get it
right and we can work towards a State care system that does
not provide the opportunity for such abuse in the future”,
Ms Kapua
stated.
ENDS
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