Oranga Tamariki should stop blaming Crown, society when admitting its own 'structural racism' - Lady Tureiti Moxon

December 15, 2020

The National Urban Māori Authority chairperson says Oranga Tamariki needs to transfer its power to Māori.

National Urban Māori Authority chair Lady Tureiti Moxon says Oranga Tamariki, when admitting to “structural racism”, shouldn’t then try to shift the blame of the source of that racism to wider society including the Crown.

It comes after Oranga Tamariki chief executive Gráinne Moss made her second appearance yesterday before the urgent Waitangi Tribunal Hearings into the agency. 

In her evidence, Moss addressed why there had been a “significant and consistent disparity” between the numbers of Māori and non-Māori children being taken into state care.

Moss said it was because of the “disparity” Māori faced across a range of key indicators, including in employment, education, health and justice. 

She said that to address the disparity Māori faced with Oranga Tamariki, “we must collectively address the underlying causes” about why some children needed care from the state. 

While Oranga Tamariki made a concession of “structural racism” within its agency, “it is my view that the reality of structural racism should be acknowledged and addressed everywhere”.

Grainne Moss became emotional as she made the admission before the Waitangi Tribunal.

Moxon said the “worst part” of the evidence given yesterday by Moss about “structural racism” was that the racism was “firmly situated with the Crown” instead of specifically within Oranga Tamariki. 

“There was no concession about what Oranga Tamariki was going to do about that [racism] apart from relationships with Māori,” she said.

If the Crown was, indeed, structurally racist, then that concession would come from someone like the Prime Minister, rather than Moss, Moxon said. 

“But, there was none of that coming from Oranga Tamariki. And the other interesting thing was that she said that her staff are not racist.”

Moxon re-iterated her call that Māori should take over Oranga Tamariki’s role “so we can look after our own babies”. 

“We can’t carry on doing what we’ve been doing. 

“And, as much they [Oranga Tamariki] believe that they are actually making changes that are going to create transformational change, that’s not going to happen under their watch and it certainly is not going to happen under the leadership we currently have.”

As for deputy chief of Oranga Tamariki Hoani Lambert’s departure, announced by Moss yesterday after she gave evidence, Moxon said the timing was “incredible”.

The agency’s outgoing deputy chief executive says people’s “vitriol” against Moss is “unfortunate”.

She said it was a “pity” that Lambert, of Ngati Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa descent, was leaving at a “crucial time when we’re asking, really, for resources and power to be transferred over to Māori properly”. 

“And at this crucial moment in time, he’s been offered a job that, apparently, he can’t refuse.”

During his tenure, Lambert led Oranga Tamariki’s work under section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act , which states Moss as the chief executive must take steps to reduce the disparities for Māori - who came to the agency’s attention - faced. The legislation also states Oranga Tamariki should partner with iwi and Māori.

“The power still remains with the CEO. The power is not transferred to anyone else,” Moxon said of the issue with 7AA that doesn’t actually give power to Māori.

But, Moxon said someone else would continue Lambert’s work. 

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