Kelvin Davis ‘proud’ of Oranga Tamariki staff who blew the whistle on colleagues

Former police commissioner Mike Bush (left) and Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani announce an inquiry into serious allegations involving staff. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Minister for Children Kelvin Davis says he is proud of the staff who raised concerns around the actions of their colleagues and the swiftness taken by the OT CEO to launch an inquiry to be overseen by former police commissioner Mike Bush.

Davis said the whistleblowers would have been in an unenviable position, but he’s glad they did the right thing coming forward.

Yesterday Oranga Tamariki CEO Chappie Te Kani announced that he had instructed Bush to begin an investigation into two serious allegations involving staff who have allegedly acted inappropriately towards rangatahi in OT residences.

Minister for Children Kelvin Davis. Photo / Warren Buckland

Davis said the swift actions of Te Kani in removing the staff members, alerting police and bringing in the oversight of Bush to take control of all youth justice, care and protection facilities was absolutely appropriate.

Te Kani said he was aware of five children who had been subjected to sexual behaviour from Oranga Tamariki staff working in youth justice and care and protection residences.

He said these were separate incidents, at two different residences within the last year.

“Children in our care must be cared for. Children in our facilities must be safe.

“There is no room in this organisation for any young person to be put at risk by the behaviour of staff.”

The Bush review commences Friday and is expected to take two months to complete.

Bush says he expects whānau of the tamariki and rangatahi at the residences to be consulted in the process.

Former chief social worker Shannon Pakura will assist Bush in conducting a review of all residences including OT community-based homes.

In an interview with the Herald last year, Davis said when OT makes a mistake, it’s headline news, but little is written about the almost 50,000 tamariki each year who do not get placed in care but have OT support and oversight watching over them.

Davis said at the time that he has great faith in the majority of the 4000-odd staff who do great work.

Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for 12 years for Te Whānau o Waipareira.