Terry Sarten: End party politics to protect youngest citizens

The change to the name of the government agency charged with child protection is now perfect - it is the Ministry for Children.

This column may contain some cynicism, unqualified comment and wildly reckless statements. I would like to open with my current saying of the week - the quality of our mistakes must be improving as there seem to be more of them. What does this mean I hear you cry or mutter if you are the strong silent type. It means that perfectionism includes acknowledging mistakes.

The change to the name of the government agency charged with child protection is now perfect - it is the Ministry for Children. No longer to be known as the Ministry for Vulnerable Children this change is significant. The name now says the role is to act as advocates for all children. This is how it should be.

All children and young people require a specific part of government that looks out for their interests by monitoring policy to see how legislation might affect the wellbeing of all children and young people, recognising that the social divide between the have-lots and have nots is not created by them but by adults - the policy makers and politicians and delivered via the functions of government departments.

The wellbeing of children and youth is knocking at the door that leads to the future asking to be let in and be heard. Too often the system is blind and deaf to this call. Is that because children don't vote? We have a society in which some live in mansions while others sleep in their cars or crowded into rentals that are cold, damp and unhealthy.

The coalition government, under the leadership of the new Prime Minister, has been presented with a huge challenge but there does seem to be a genuine sharp edge on their promises to improve the outcomes for those children growing up in struggling households.

It will require goodwill from all the parties in Parliament, including the opposition to create a change in the social landscape. It would be great if, rather than carping, sniping and undermining the new government, National took this opportunity to work together across party lines to advance the prospects for the most disadvantaged.

It is possible but the cynic in me worries that it will be a continuation of the standard political script in which one side proposes an idea, the other side attacks, both side blame each other for past policy failures - add in rancour, dissent and recycle - and nothing effective is done.

Is it a coincidence that so many of those who go into politics come from backgrounds in law? Is this because they are used to the adversarial notion that involves taking whichever side of an argument they have been assigned?

That is the essence of our political party system. MPs cannot publicly disagree with party policy as this will lose them ranking and promotion in a contest where power and influence (and ministerial perks) are highly sought after.

This approach has to end. The country faces numerous challenges that require a collective effort. The old party politics of winners and losers has failed to deliver. We are well into the era of MMP where coalitions take various shapes that include a wider diversity of viewpoints but also provides more common ground where these views can meet and be translated into effective policy.

Maybe the notion that ministers, as part of their responsibilities, should be held directly accountable for outcomes is the answer. It is not something we have seen happen much but it an approach that voters - and the children and youth of the country - should expect.

■Terry Sarten (aka Tel) is a writer, social worker, musician and lapsed cynic.
Feedback: tgs@inspire.net.nz