Agency blasted for ‘master-servant attitude’ toward iwi
South Taranaki iwi Nga¯ti Ruanui has hit out at Oranga Tamariki, accusing the government department of failing to deliver for Ma¯ori and labelling the agency a “colonial master servant model”.
Oranga Tamariki, or the Ministry for Children, is the department tasked with the care and wellbeing of children at risk of harm.
It says it acknowledges Nga¯ti 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 Manawatu¯ area, there were 479 children in care as of September 30th.
Most of them were Ma¯ori.
The organisation has come under increasing pressure in recent months to overhaul how it deals with Ma¯ori tamariki in particular, after an investigation last year highlighted the uplift of a newborn Ma¯ori baby, that subsequently sparked protest around the country.
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, hapu¯, and Ma¯ori organisations.
Nga¯ti Ruanui agreed with the conclusion of the report, with iwi Tumu Whakaae (Chair) Haimona Maruera saying that the Crown agency had consistently failed to deliver for Ma¯ori.
“Oranga Tamariki say all the right things but do not deliver on the ground,” Maruera said.
Nga¯ti 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 Ma¯ori, for Ma¯ori – that means we keep mokopuna in the care of their wha¯nau.”
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 Nga¯ti 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 Nga¯ti Ruanui and look forward to working with the iwi in the future.”
For Nga¯ti 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.
“Nga¯ti 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 wha¯nau 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 Ma¯ori for Ma¯ori’ approaches that keep Ma¯ori children in the care of their wha¯nau.
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.