Hon Karen Chhour Minister for Children Assaults and unlawful behaviour within Oranga Tamariki’s youth justice facilities are unacceptable and offenders should receive proper consequences for their actions. Last night a fight broke out in the Muriwai Unit at Te Puna Wai Youth Justice Residence in Christchurch. Five young people
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson Thursday’s quarterly benefit numbers show that despite businesses crying out for more workers, benefit dependency remains stubbornly high under Labour. 22.9 per cent fewer people got themselves off a benefit and into work than the year before. Instead of recipients being encouraged
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson ACT in Government will reverse the harmful laws introduced by Labour that divide New Zealanders by race. Labour didn’t campaign on co-government and yet it has introduced it through a range of new entities and laws. The Labour Government commissioned the ‘He Puapua’
Karen Chhour ACT MP My Member’s Bill which was drawn from the Ballot today seeks to ensure that the wellbeing of the child is the paramount consideration of Oranga Tamariki. As someone who grew up in state care, I have deep appreciation of what children need. Each child regardless
Karen Chhour ACT Children spokesperson Further revelations on 1News show the poor process that has been followed at Oranga Tamariki in employing Matthew Tukaki, and raise questions about why the Government continues employing him. Oranga Tamariki is meant to be caring for our most vulnerable, it does not bode well
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson The Government is increasing dependency on welfare with increases to the benefit while businesses struggle to get ahead and employ more people. On Friday, benefits will increase by an average of $20 a week. Instead of seeing benefits as the solution, Labour needs to
Karen Chhour ACT Welfare spokesperson Grant Robertson is in full self-congratulation mode over today’s employment numbers, but the real unemployment rate is at least 6 per cent. The headline unemployment rate of 3.2 per cent equates to 93,000 people. Nobody – not even Grant Robertson – believes that is
Karen Chhour Social Development and Children spokesperson The Government’s gradual ban on all tobacco sales is prohibition plain and simple and it will eventually create a black market. As a former smoker, I’m sick and tired of Labour trying to socially engineer us into changing our behaviour. No
Karen Chhour ACT Children spokesperson The Judicial Conduct Commissioner needs to become involved in a case where the Acting Head of Oranga Tamariki and two judges became inappropriately involved in a case. The Acting Head of Oranga Tamariki – Wira Gardiner and two senior judges intervened in a case that was
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson ACT will ensure the children of gang members are less likely to suffer neglect by requiring gang members who receive a benefit to undergo Electronic Income Management. According to the Ministry of Social Development, a high proportion of gang members’ children experience multiple incidents
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Minister Marama Davidson’s performance in Question Time yesterday shows she has no idea what’s happening in her portfolio. The number of family harm incidents have increased from 133,000 in 2018 to 171,000 in 2020.
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson It’s an insult to middle New Zealanders who are working hard to get ahead but being squeezed in every direction to increase benefits today. The Government is making it harder to employ people and easier not to work with its ideological policies. Middle
Karen Chhour I’m calling on Jacinda Ardern to explain whether she is “stirring up, maintaining or normalising hatred by insulting, threatening or abusive communication” which would be captured under the Government’s hate speech laws. My question is whether the nation’s Karens will be deemed a protected group?
Karen Chhour ACT Social Development spokesperson Kelvin Davis has today told the Social Services Select Committee that he’s “not here to defend the indefensible” when it comes to Oranga Tamariki. He needs to accept that he’s the one who’s in charge of the indefensible. I grew up
Karen Chhour ACT’s Social Development spokesperson As long as the Government has its hands over its ears screaming “la la la” about benefit numbers, they will keep rising. There are 365,937 working-age people receiving a main benefit as at the end of March 2021. That’s an 18
