Māori and Crown need to work in partnership for children - Kelvin Davis

From Morning Report, 7:20 am on 24 November 2020

The Children's Commissioner has called for an end to the state care of Māori children and babies.

It's the major recommendation from the second part an inquiry into the removal of babies by the Children's Ministry, Oranga Tamariki. 

The Assistant Māori Commissioner for Children, Glenis Philip-Barbara, says the Government must now determine whether iwi and hapū can take on a transfer of power from Oranga Tamariki.

The report is part of a large scale investigation into Oranga Tamariki which found that Māori babies were five times more likely than non-Māori babies to be taken into care with the urgent removal of Māori babies from their whanau doubling since 2010. 

In a statement, Oranga Tamariki Chief Executive Gráinne Moss said any further decisions were the government's responsibility. 

Kelvin Davis is the Minister for Children.

He speaks to Corin Dann.