ACT and NZ First attack on Waitangi Tribunal makes it a Kangaroo Court Show Trial Redneck Jamboree

ByMartyn Bradbury
ACT Party Cabinet Minister Karen Chhour has been dragged in front of a Kangaroo Court Show Trial after refusing to engage in Waitangi Tribunal questions regarding her desire to repeal Oranga Tamariki’s 7AA clause which forces Oranga Tamariki to consider cultural issues when uplifting Māori babies to avoid that whole stolen generation thing that colonisation does so well to indigenous kids.
The Right hysterically scream this is an activist darkey malarky Tribunal intruding into the Executive’s right to make power and as such this is the greatest threat to Western Civilisation since syphilis and the black plague became mates.
The Left calmly point out that the Tribunal has all the powers to compel anyone to give it evidence and that Karen is being a Karen and digging her heels in to see the Manger.

 

The reactionary Right are screaming race war when all we want is an explanation from the Minister as to why dismantling 7AA is the best way to keep our most vulnerable kids safe, because remember THAT is what actually matters here, keeping our most vulnerable kids safe.

I respect Karen.

To overcome the trauma she suffered at the hands the State, and to then become Minister of the very State Department that hurt you is a remarkable journey no matter her politics.

Her voice as a person damaged by that State is powerful and always worth consideration.

HOWEVER.

7AA remains an important direction for OT in terms of newly uplifted Māori babies. Like many colonised nations, we have an appalling lost generation history of indigenous babies, ACT are the first to demand decentralisation – why not keep 7AA and direct those newly uplifted Māori babies into Iwi or Māori community groups?

Is ACT actually interested in a solution here or just want to keep using Māori as a political punching bag?

One of the reasons OT was created was because National argued that CYFs, the old system, had a higher statistical risk of children being abused in state care than when left in the community!

How. Do. We. Protect. The. Most. Vulnerable. Kids. In. State. Care!

The problem with the Right’s Social Investment model is that it demands immediate uplifts to save the state money downstream, OT will be pushing for more uplifts without notice not fewer, and they will be delivering those babies to foster families.

The inevitable uplifts will make their way to social media and this Government will be forced to back down again because Kiwis won’t accept Māori babies being taken out of the arms of their mothers!

Oranga Tamariki is a brownwashed under resourced neoliberal experiment in welfare aimed at saving the State money down stream while minimising legal liability, it sure as Christ doesn’t have the interests of the child at heart.

How are children in State care going to be safer after removing 7AA?

The mechanics of how to facilitate the large jump in uplifts has been eclipsed by the fight between the Executive and the Waitangi Tribunal, meaning that this has become an ego fight between different branches of the political body rather than any focus on these vulnerable kids who are getting abused in State care!

Instead of defending why Karen Chhour isn’t giving evidence, what about protecting these kids being abused in State care!

This whole fiasco is a pissing competition while kids in State care get abused.

We should all be embarrassed at how this has played out.

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2 Comments

  1. That’s the NZ polices job Nathan so is shutting down Gloriavale and stopping their
    government funding they are pedophiles as was many state organisations who abused poor kids and the churches. Don’t tarr all Maori with the same brush. Maori aren’t the only ones who abuse their kids.

  2. That’s the NZ polices job Nathan so is shutting down Gloriavale and stopping their
    government funding they are pedophiles as was many state organisations who abused poor kids and the churches. Don’t tarr all Maori with the same brush. Maori aren’t the only ones who abuse their kids.

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