PM backs Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill despite overwhelming criticism

Monday, 20 June 2022

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government is obliged to ensure Oranga Tamariki is properly monitored and overseen.

The prime minister is throwing her support behind the proposed Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill despite a survivor’s plea for it to be halted.

It comes amid growing condemnation of the proposed overhaul by victims of abuse in state care, advocates and the Children’s Commissioner.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wants the bill implemented, saying she has concerns about delaying it too long, however, Tupua Urlich, a survivor of abuse in state care, says the proposal is nothing short of insulting.

The proposed Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill will replace the Children’s Commissioner with a board of up to six people.

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The board chairperson would be known as the Chief Children’s Commissioner.

Tupua Urlich was in state care as a child and is critical of plans to push ahead with the Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill.

Oversight of Oranga Tamariki would be spread between an Independent Monitor and the Ombudsman.

Despite the resistance, the majority-Labour committee recommended it be passed, with some amendments.

Over the weekend, Ardern said she was keen to get the bill “up and running” despite widespread resistance.

“I’d have a concern about delaying for too long, putting in that oversight. But what we have seen is a suggestion that we put a review period in,” she said.

“So let's get that oversight up and running, but let’s learn still from what the royal commission finds and we still can do both.”

But Urlich, who gave evidence at the royal commission inquiry into abuse in state care, says the plan to push forward is nothing short of insulting to survivors yet to share their stories.

He believed the Government was ignoring their voices.

“It’s unacceptable in my eyes how they can hide behind the so-called need to do something because we cannot wait, yet build in a five-year review period, it’s just absolute rubbish in my eyes, and they need to start coming up with better excuses.”

Political parties across the aisle have all criticised the bill in its current form.

The Children’s Commissioner recently slammed the proposal saying it failed to listen to the people it is supposed to protect.

Judge Frances Eivers said pre-empting that work made a mockery of those brave enough to share their stories and questioned if the Government really wanted to listen to their insights.

The select committee received hundreds of submissions, with only eight in support.

Starship Hospital and Child Poverty Action Group were very critical of the bill in their submissions.

The children’s hospital felt the change would stop any efforts to fix the system, which would largely be felt by whānau Māori.

“Separation of these functions will disperse relevant information and processes and will create more layers of bureaucracy, delaying outcomes for tangata whenua/mana whenua, and their tamariki.”