pn723. Politicising the Treaty: Ardern accuses Collins of saying one thing in government and another in opposition

 

In Parliament, Collins  suggested the Government was abdicating its responsibilities to protect all children by handing power to an independent Māori Transition Authority, removing itself  “from the protection of all children, regardless of ethnicity, when a New Zealand child is killed by its own family every five weeks?"

Ardern said it wouldn't change the fact that Oranga Tamariki has statutory obligations. She said everything the Government is doing is about the care and wellbeing of children. 

"It's long been the endeavour of governments [to protect children], I would hope, to make sure that we're upholding our obligations as Treaty partners in the work that we do," Ardern said.

"There are actually some examples that I would have thought the member would have been proud of when they were in Government, the work they did with Tūhoe around conservation, Waikato with the Waikato River Authority, Whānau Ora, Kōhanga reo.

"It seems in Government there is a commitment to partnership but in Opposition there is a race to the bottom in terms of politicising a debate that we need to have as a nation."