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Thirteen children and their parents are living rough in "filthy" conditions in the backblocks near Wairoa, but Child, Youth and Family has not done anything about it, National MP Anne Tolley claimed yesterday.
"The parents, along with their 13 children aged 1 to 16, have nowhere to live and have created a rough campsite at Tiniroto. It has no drinking water, no toilets and no cooking facilities except an open fire," Ms Tolley, an East Coast MP, said.
She said she had visited the site and found the children to be "bright kids" but their hygiene conditions to be "filthy". She said she had filed a notification of neglect with CYF, which had taken two months to reply.
"They then had the temerity to suggest the case 'did not present as an imminent danger or threat, and has not met the thresholds for Family Court intervention to date'."
The children had not been to school since August last year, had inadequate clothing and were at risk of serious health problems with the onset of winter, Ms Tolley said.
"It is astonishing that CYF's only action is to try to set up a family group conference which the parents say they will not support and will no doubt try to avoid.
"This is a clear case of neglect and these children have only CYF to rely on. There is no one else to help them."
She raised the issue in Parliament yesterday because of the lack of action.
Speaking on behalf of Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson, associate minister Darren Hughes said that from what Ms Tolley had told the House, "that does not sound good enough at all". He told Ms Tolley that if she referred the matter to Ms Dyson, she would look at it personally.
Ms Tolley said she had already written to Ms Dyson. She said CYF had known about the family since mid-last year.
- NZPA
