‘Inhumane’ treatment of Ma¯ori women by the state

A report on Oranga Tamariki has revealed harrowing stories of the removal of Ma¯ ori babies and is calling for a complete overhaul of the ministry.

The Ma¯ ori-led investigation, which started six months ago, is one of five into the ministry and was spearheaded by the Wha¯ nau Ora commissioning agency.

Official figures released by the Children’s Commissioner in January showed Ma¯ori babies were five times more likely to end up in state care than non-Ma¯ ori last year and their rate of urgent entries into state care had doubled since 2010.

The inquiry report was based on contacts with more than 1000 wha¯nau, both Ma¯ori and non-Ma¯ ori, on their experiences of the ministry.

In one incident, the report said, 14 armed police officers were used to remove a 5-month-old Ma¯ ori baby from a mother. The mother said police and Oranga Tamariki staff converged on her home to carry out an uplift order that had been approved by the Family Court without the wha¯ nau receiving any notification.

The mother thought she was heading to a family group conference at Oranga Tamariki but instead was met at her door by heavily armed police with police dogs.

Dame Naida Glavish, who chaired the governance group overseeing the review, said the report confirmed systemic failure and discrimination.

‘‘The Crown is not honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

‘‘There have been unprecedented breaches of human rights and the treatment of Ma¯ori women has been inhumane.

‘‘We can clearly see from the volume of evidence and the heavy-handed approach inflicted on this wha¯ nau that something is so systemically wrong.

‘‘This entrenched behaviour is plain unjust,’’ Dame Naida said.

‘‘We are deeply grateful to wha¯ nau who had the courage to stand up and speak their truth.’’

In another incident revealed by the inquiry, Dame Naida said police and Oranga Tamariki demanded an autopsy on a 12-year-old girl with a brain tumour who had died in hospital, before her parents could take her home, despite a paediatrician providing a death certificate.

‘‘Before she could [write the death certificate] in walked the police, retraumatised the parents by ... interviewing them separately and then marching with them from Starship Hospital to the mortuary service because Oranga Tamariki insisted on a post mortem.’’

The death certificate was accepted by

‘‘The Crown is not honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. There have been unprecedented breaches of human rights and the treatment of Ma¯ori women has been inhumane.’’

Dame Naida Glavish

the coroner the following day, Dame Naida said. She promised the report would not sit on a shelf.

‘‘The findings back our call for a complete overhaul of Oranga Tamariki, the Family Court ex parte order process and the law that facilitates uplifts.’’

The report said the overwhelming conclusion from the inquiry was that state care of tamariki and pepi Ma¯ ori, and in particular the uplift practices, were never appropriate for the long-term wellbeing of Ma¯ ori.

It suggested that with new increased government spending still resulting in poor outcomes for wha¯ nau, there was a strong economic case to make revolutionary change to the current system.

The review details three key actions to overhaul the system: supporting and strengthening wha¯nau capability and capacity; a structural analysis and review of Oranga Tamariki systems, policies, processes and practices; and building on the call from wha¯nau for ‘‘By Ma¯ori, For Ma¯ori, With Ma¯ori’’ solutions for long-term sustainability.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Oranga Tamariki had needed change and there were signs of progress.

‘‘No-one wants to see children removed – no matter what way you cut it, it is a traumatising thing – but we do sadly have children who are in situations that put them at risk.

‘‘So we do have to try and reduce those scenarios ... working much more closely with wha¯ nau to prevent that in the first place.

‘‘To date I think everyone would acknowledge that we did need change.

‘‘It was only three years ago that Oranga Tamariki was created ... and so it really is still trying to find its feet as an organisation [it] is intended to be.

‘‘There are signs of what we are wanting to see.

‘‘For instance we have got strategic partnerships with four iwi – Nga¯ i Tahu, Nga¯ puhi, Waikato-Tainui and Tu¯ hoe.’’

There had also been a 42 per cent increase in funding to iwi organisations working with children over the past two years, and a decrease in the number of Ma¯ori babies coming into state care, Ardern said. – RNZ