October 26, 2020
Why diverting Oranga Tamariki funding to a Maori Authority isn’t good enough!
Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury: If the only solution that we arrive at with the mutation that is Oranga Tamariki is to divert funding to a Māori Authority to run, then we have failed miserably in this crucial debate.
It would be unacceptable in the extreme for Māori to identify the damage Oranga Tamariki cause and seek only to save their own children.
There are all races of New Zealander in state care, they all deserve the genuine healing Māoridom are demanding for their own children.
For social policy as important as this, we are ignoring the fact Oranga Tamariki is a right-wing social experiment, and as such, is failing everyone.
Oranga Tamariki was set up using big data to intervene earlier so as to save the State downstream costs like Policing, Courts and Corrections. It is there for the welfare of the State NOT the welfare of the children.
Parents rights have been legally watered down, there is no clear oversight to uplifts, there is no independent body other than the Children's Commissioner who seems to only be symbolic.
Oranga Tamariki as a culture is infected with this neoliberal focus on saving the State money, that simple fact can't be ignored.
The solution is not to divert funding to a Mokopuna Authority, the solution is that the Mokopuna Authority take over Oranga Tamariki!
Every child in NZ deserves the healing focus and sense of whanau that the Mokopuna Authority is offering, this isn't just about protecting and enhancing the welfare of Māori children, this needs to be a social service revolution that includes ALL children.
Our most vulnerable children from the most damaged spaces in our society from some of the harshest communities deserve Kaupapa values that see them as an individual part of a collective that builds them up rather than as a possible ongoing cost to the State.
The former is progress, the latter is the status quo.
What is most egregious is that we are needing to have to fight for these changes at the same time as there is a Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic abuse by the State.
The Treaty demands we consider Māori sovereignty to run social services.
The damning statistics demand we consider Māori sovereignty to run social services.
History demands we consider Māori sovereignty to run social services.
Martyn Bradbury
Editor – TheDailyBlog.nz
Radio Waatea and it's board would like to advise that the opinions posted are those of Martyn 'Bomber Bradbury' and not the views of Radio Waatea, it's Management or it's Board.
Copyright © 2020, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com