Ngāti Whātua is calling out the crown and Oranga Tamariki for an outdated well overdue system and hierarchy overhaul, as their legislative obligation to care and support those within their systems continues to fail our kids miserably.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua Chair, Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish has been an outspoken advocate on these issues. This week she spoke on Te Ao Māori News in disgust of the recent reports that two Oranga Tamariki funded caregivers appeared in court on child assault charges.

‘Two were put towards the court but weren’t punished, it's like our children have been punished. They’ve been released and in December they’ll be judged again. What are we doing?’

Her concerns follow a long history of uproar against Oranga Tamariki. Expressing her utter contempt once again at the appalling way this agency upholds the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and provides care to our tamariki mokopuna. She has previously stated ‘we have no confidence in Oranga Tamariki addressing their well-documented systemic failures.’

Certainly, Oranga Tamariki needs to acknowledge and respect the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a view to improve the outcomes for Māori and whānau who engage with state care. This will enable Māori governance on the delivery of every level of state care service from planning, to delivery, to evaluation and to any future review.

Ngāti Whātua demand the Government start the process of disestablishment of Oranga Tamariki by funding and resourcing iwi to prepare the structures, systems, processes and service delivery (whānau care) to cater for our babies who need to be placed in iwi care.

Leadership from iwi Māori in these processes will ensure tikanga Māori shapes the evolution of a more responsive model of care that prioritises Māori, whānau, hapū, iwi and communities. In Te Ao Māori, children are seen as the leaders of tomorrow.

‘Our Mokopuna are the reflections of their ancestors. It is our role as iwi to protect our whakapapa’

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