Protests erupted against Oranga Tamariki last year. Photo / George Novak
Protests erupted against Oranga Tamariki last year. Photo / George Novak
South Taranaki iwi Ngāti Ruanui has hit out at Oranga Tamariki, accusing the government department of failing to deliver for Māori and labelling the organisation a "colonial master servant model'.
Oranga Tamariki, or the Ministry for Children, is the government department tasked with the care and wellbeing of children atrisk of harm. It says it acknowledges Ngāti Ruanui's concerns and accepts it has work to do.
According to the ministry there are two "family homes" in Whanganui where children in care are kept when other living arrangements cannot be made.
Across the Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatū area, there were 479 children in care as of September 30. Most of them were Māori.
The organisation has come under increasing pressure in recent months to overhaul how it deals with Māori tamariki in particular, after an investigation last year highlighted the uplift of a newborn Māori baby, which subsequently sparked protest around New Zealand.
On Monday, Children's Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft released the second half of a report on the organisation, calling for the ministry to be completely overhauled with more power given to iwi, hapū, and Māori organisations.
Ngāti Ruanui says it agrees with the conclusion of the report, with iwi Tumu Whakaae (Chair) Haimona Maruera saying that the Crown agency has consistently failed to deliver for Māori.
"Oranga Tamariki say all the right things but do not deliver on the ground," Maruera said.
Ngāti Ruanui has a formal relationship with Oranga Tamariki under Section 396 of the legislation governing the Crown agency.
"Our experience to date is confirmed by the report released by the Children's Commissioner. The focus really needs to be on transferring power and resources from Government to enable by Māori, for Māori - that means we keep mokopuna in the care of their whānau."
Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss acknowledged "structural racism" within Oranga Tamariki. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In a statement to the Chronicle, Glynis Sandland, the deputy chief executive for services for children and families, said Oranga Tamariki acknowledged the concerns of Ngāti Ruanui.
"Oranga Tamariki is committed to changing the way we work. While we have made progress, we still have work to do. We know this can test the strength of our relationships," Sandland said.
"We have an ongoing relationship with Ngāti Ruanui and look forward to working with the iwi in the future."
For Ngāti Ruanui however, there is still a sense that the department is unable to effectively engage with iwi, despite having a formal partnership in place.
"The partnership with our iwi appears to be window dressing only. It really is a colonial master servant model which is shocking to witness," Haimona Maruera said.
"Ngāti Ruanui are dealing with a real-life example of what Judge Becroft is talking about. Change cannot come soon enough for our mokopuna and their whānau if our treatment to date represents what Oranga Tamariki interprets as partnership.".
The report released by Judge Becroft is the second half of a months-long investigation into the government department.
The first half of the report detailed the experiences of mothers of newborn children with Oranga Tamariki, with comments stating the department was "dangerous, brutal, and racist".
The recommendations in the report include the Prime Minister and Cabinet committing to a transfer of power and resources from the Government, in an attempt to enable 'by Māori for Māori' approaches that keep Māori children in the care of their whānau.
Judge Becroft also recommended Oranga Tamariki cap the number of cases that case managers are dealing with at any one time.
After submitting to the Waitangi Tribunal yesterday Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss acknowledged there were issues of structural racism within the organisation but said she was committed to staying and attempting to resolve them.
