8 Sep 2023

Man arrested after investigation into offending against four young people in an Oranga Tamariki residence

11:05 am on 8 September 2023

Police have arrested a man following the investigation into offending against four young people in an Oranga Tamariki residence earlier this year.

Oranga Tamariki

File photo. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

He has been charged with indecent acts on a young person and indecent communication with a young person.

Police in Wellington arrested the man on Wednesday. He is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Both police and Oranga Tamariki said they would not be commenting further while the matter was before the courts.

Oranga Tamariki said it had been assisting police with their investigations into one of its staff members.

Its deputy chief executive Mike Bush, who was the former police commissioner, said the agency was aware of the charges.

Bush is overseeing the independent review of the Oranga Tamariki-run residences and community homes.

The behaviour of Oranga Tamariki staff has been in the spotlight in the last few months.

RNZ has reported the experience of one former resident who said that staff arrange fights between residents as a "scare tactic" and to show there is a pecking order in a facility.

A video also emerged showing two youths fighting which led to four OT staff being suspended.

As well, several youths have accessed the roofs of youth justice facilities in Auckland and near Christchurch.

On Tuesday Children's Minister Kelvin Davis announced the launch of a youth intervention programme to help around 60 young recidivist offenders.

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