Kids' lives not about politics

We can, none of us, know what is going though the minds of the family of Hinekawa Topia.

Not only are they faced with the loss of their treasured little girl but they must now also face all the speculation and police inquiry that surrounds any unexplained death of a vulnerable child.

Hinekawa was only 2 months old, and her death was the result of what police describe as "non-accidental" injury. The phrasing itself leaves a lot to speculation. While they can not be categorical, clearly there is a suggestion that someone intended to do harm to this little girl.

There will be understandable anger that someone might deliberately hurt a defenceless, vulnerable child. Understandable too that there will be curiosity into the circumstances of her short life and the family background.

But right now the police are investigating and anything other than what they find is mere speculation.

Hinekawa's seems an all-too-familiar story. Any complacency or feelings of impotence that this is just another in a growing list of victims should inspire outrage.

New Zealand has an unacceptable and appalling child-abuse record. Over several years, many commentators and social agencies have tried to identify causes, develop parenting programmes, jail culprits and generally stop our kids being hurt and killed.

Yet still they die.

And those of us who learn of these tragedies ponder what can be done about it. With so many ideas and possible solutions the one certainty is that there are no quick fixes, no easy solutions.

In this latest case, local MP and Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has reiterated a police effort to quell speculation around the family. There will be an obvious and necessary desire for more information but we must not be too quick to jump to conclusions.

But Mrs Turia's rejection of including Labour on a ministerial committee to tackle child abuse and poverty doesn't wash. While dealing with budgets and how to spend money, she suggests that opening the door to opposition parties would not work because "generally, political parties play politics with it".

There is hope of a separate cross-party group, which is encouraging, but surely it is time to put politics aside and get on with the task of safeguarding our country's children.

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