Mosque attack survivors and families say help still needed
Survivors and families from the March 2019 Christchurch terror attack are upset that the Government is ending a wraparound service set up to help them.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) programme, Kaiwhakaoranga, provides case managers to help victims access a wide range of government and non-government services.
On Tuesday, MSD emailed users of Kaiwhakaoranga to tell them it would finish on June 30.
“Over the last few years, we’ve seen how many families have become more confident to manage new or existing issues, and are able to independently get the help needed from government and non-government agencies,” the email said. “From 1 July 2024, if needed, help for you and your family will still be available and come directly from individual government and non-government agencies as the service finishes.
“We know this change may cause some uncertainty, and your case manager will be in contact shortly to explain what this means for you and your family.”
Last month, the five-year ACC period of financial support for some of those affected expired.
Fifty-one people were killed in the terrorist shooting at the two Christchurch mosques.
In two 50-minute sessions next week, a limited number of those affected will have a chance to air their concerns with Mental Health and ACC Minister Matt Doocey, who is also MP for Waimakariri, and Attorney-General Judith Collins.
Maysoon Salama, whose son Ata Elayyan was killed and whose husband was severely injured, said news that the service was ending came as a shock, and without consultation.
“Families are still struggling and suffering. There is no cap on grief,” she said. “There are still ongoing wellbeing issues and a lot of trauma. People have PTSD, financial struggles, insufficient people to support them.”
Salama called the lack of discussion before the decision “disappointing”, especially as the royal commission into the attack had recommended ongoing consultation.
There was a wider lack of attention to the the victims’ needs, and even with Kaiwhakaoranga, there had not been follow-up to see whether people had been helped, she said.
Next week’s two meetings would be far too short for families to get their message across, Salama said.
“To me, things need to be more humane.” Rashid Omar, who lost his son Tariq Omar and who co-chairs the 15 March Whānau Trust, said the MSD service needed to continue and to be improved.
“Our members are victims. A lot of them are making progress, but many of them are not. Especially the widows – they are still struggling, and a lot of them have young children.”
Wigram MP Megan Woods (Labour) said it was not the right time to time to cut the service “for an incredibly vulnerable community”. While some victims were managing well, others still needed the service to support their recovery, she said.
The Kaiwhakaoranga service links survivors, families and witnesses with more than 40 government and non-government organisations. They include police, the Ministry of Justice, Work and Income, the Red Cross, tertiary institutions, childcare centres, immigration advisers and budgeting services.
The Government has spent just under $1 million annually to run Kaiwhakaoranga, the Collective Impact Board established after the attacks, and to provide financial support to eligible victims.
In a 2022 survey, 38% of service users did not believe their current case manager did their best for them most or all the time. As well, 28% said their case manager did not always treat them with respect.
The survey found that users wanted improvements when case managers changed, and wanted them to be given service expectations.
Social Development Minister Louise Upston said the Government committed to helping the affected community, but the need for the Kaiwhakaoranga service had “diminished over time”.
“[It] has always been time-limited, and was not funded by the previous government to continue beyond June 30. This was made public in May last year,” she said.
“This will not affect the financial supports that those in affected communities are currently receiving, nor will it affect the services and support they can access, which will still be available to them from government and non-government agencies.”
“There is no cap on grief ... Things need to be more humane.”
Maysoon Salama