Critic revising Oranga Tamariki

WELLINGTON: The head of a Maoriled inquiry into Oranga Tamariki who criticised it for ‘‘inexplicable breaches of human rights towards Maori’’ will now be at the forefront of its transformation.

Dame Naida Glavish is one of four Maori leaders chosen by Children’s Minister Kelvin Davis to form the newly established Oranga Tamariki Ministerial Advisory Board.

Joining Dame Naida on the board are National Maori Authority executive director Matthew Tukaki; former Aotearoa Association of Social Workers president Shannon Pakura, who was also former chief social worker for the Department of Child, Youth and Family; and Sir Mark Solomon, former chairman of Ngai Tahu and current chairman of the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency for the South Island.

The announcement yesterday came just days after Grainne Moss resigned as head of the agency, which had been under intense scrutiny and criticism since a video was published of the uplift of a weekold Maori baby in Hastings in 2019.

Despite five reviews of Oranga Tamariki, many prominent Maori leaders remained deeply distrustful of Oranga Tamariki and felt transformational change was yet to occur.

The new board will advise Mr Davis on the agency’s relationships with families, whanau, and Maori, professional social work practices, and organisational culture. The board will begin work on February 1. — The New Zealand Herald