30 Apr 2021

Minister wants time to consider Waitangi Tribunal findings

From Midday Report, 12:11 pm on 30 April 2021

The Waitangi Tribunal wants an independent Māori body to be set up, to eliminate the need for tamariki Māori to be in state care. The urgent inquiry by the Tribunal found there was a consistent disparity in the number of tamariki Māori taken into state care, and Oranga Tamariki had breached the Treaty by not allowing Māori to have rangatiratanga over their kāinga - homes. Some claimants called for the devolution of power from Oranga Tamariki to iwi, hapū and Māori organisations so no children are cared for by the state. The Tribunal stopped short of recommending that, saying the state still has a role to play in the care and protection of tamariki Māori in the short-term. It also found the legislative changes Oranga Tamariki had made - which put the mana of the child, their whānau and culture at the heart of all decisions - and the partnerships with iwi - were not enough. Minister for Children Kelvin Davis told Meriana Johnsen he welcomed the findings and would now take time to consider them in detail.