CYF Maori abuse figures 'horrific'

Pita Sharples

Almost 25,000 Maori children suspected of being abused came to the attention of Child, Youth and Family (CYF) last year, with more than 2000 requiring a critical response.

Despite Maori accounting for just 15 per cent of the population, CYF received more notifications about Maori than any other ethnic group.

The figures were released as police revealed more details of how 3-month-old twin babies Chris and Cru Kahui died.

The twins were home just five weeks after being born prematurely when they suffered two bouts of violence.

They died on June 18, five days after they were taken to hospital with horrific head injuries which police have said were inflicted either by a blow to the head or by each baby being smashed against something solid.

Police also said both babies had broken ribs from a previous incident.

The CYF figures show there were around 63,850 cases of suspected abuse or neglect in the 2005-2006 year, of which 24,585 involved Maori children. There were 20,307 notifications about Pakeha children.

Pacific Islanders accounted for 6938 of all notifications, Asians 1247 of all notifications, 337 European, 1107 other and there were 9329 where ethnicity was not known.

Around 2081 notifications requiring a critical response time - that is, within 24 hours - involved Maori children.

The figures show 1561 such notifications involved Pakeha children, 744 Pacific Island, 126 Asian, 38 European, 92 other, and 376 not known.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said the figures for Maori were "horrific".

"But that doesn't mean all Maori are doing this, neither does it make all Maori responsible," he told National Radio.

"It's not a Maori problem. It's dysfunctional families tied up in poverty, despair, hopelessness and the violence that exists in our society in all fields, not just the poor and the pub crew."

- NZPA