Waatea News Column: The fundamental problem with Oranga Tamariki’s uplift apology
The fundamental problem with Oranga Tamariki’s uplift apology is that it’s not really an apology at all because they still believe they had every right to take the infant and are apologising for the lack of communication.
They aren’t apologising for the lies told by the OT staff as they attempted to uplift the new born infant.
They aren’t apologising for the manipulations told by OT staff as they attempted to uplift the new born infant.
They aren’t apologising for the trauma, pain and deceit used by the OT staff as they attempted to uplift the new born infant.
They are terribly sorry they got caught on tape, they are apologetic for exposing their so called due process as nothing more than a rubber stamping process and they are very contrite in case they get filmed again.
The problem is that this entire experiment is a neoliberal cost saving attempt to justify taking children early in case they cost the State more down the track.
This isn’t about the welfare of the family, this isn’t about the welfare of the child, it’s about the bloody welfare of the State!
The belief is that if the State intervenes early it won’t cost as much later.
This isn’t social policy, it’s cruel penny pinching that borders on the psychotic.
We waited months for this investigation and the emptiness of the apology tells us more about how counter productive Oranga Tamariki really is than any candid disclosure could.
Currently we have an inquiry into historic abuse in state care. The inability for any politician to connect that past abuse with the current abuse highlights how captured our politicians have become by the state who are supposed to serve us.
First published on Waatea News.
It is time for true transformational change starting with cyfs/ot handing over there power to Whanau Ora to do the work they have been trying to do unsuccessfully and while they are at it hand over the putea to.
The review showed that OT were RIGHT to be involved but their communication was poor. The so called ‘lies’ you allude to are simply misinformation due to poor communication – a bit like your midset about any organisation that has legitimate authority to coerce. I note you constantly whinge about Police also. I certainly don’t agree with everything Police do – but they have a mandate to do what they do.
Ironically – I agree with you that the underpinning of the OT reforms IS to minimise future costs and this IS sad and pathetic – but is a function of the hegemony that neoliberalism has in this and many other Western countries.
In terms of Michelle’s feedback – CYF NEVER had the putea they needed to do the job and OT seem to be heading in a similar direction. Whanau ora has had mixed success – but poor in terms of accountability and transparency. It appears OT and WO have something in common after all.