OPINION
Ngāpuhi, no doubt, expect the government, through the hard-working taxpayers, to assist them with their every need and grievance. What do we get in return? A vote of thanks? Nope. Perhaps a discussion on relevant topics of concern? Nope. Perhaps exploring a mutually agreeable way forward? Nope. How about taking the opportunity to see another point of view? Nope. The fact Ngāpuhi are not interested in any of this was glaringly evident recently when they walked out of a meeting with the prime minister and other relevant ministers.
Quite how this helps them is a mystery to me. Let’s talk about Ngāpuhi. They have 827(!) of their children in state care. Are they concerned about this statistic? No, they’re only concerned that the proposed changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act might lead to further harm of their children. Any other race of people would be horrified or ashamed that so many of their young ones are in state care. But, instead of staying to discuss this sad state of affairs they walked out of the meeting.
Their problem is they only entertain a one-sided conversation. Taking a confrontational stance brings into question their powers of judgement.
Why are so many children in this situation? Is this not the question Ngāpuhi should be asking themselves? Is this not something they want to change? Is it not something the leadership should be addressing? They talk about violence in state care, but do they question the violence happening in their own homes? Apparently not: everything is the fault of the government and colonialism. The last thing they would do is take any responsibility or blame their own.
Many of their children are in the situation they’re in due to violence in the home. Do they ever speak about it? Not publicly. If Ngāpuhi alone have 827 children in care, how many Māori children in total are there? Dr Moana Eruera says it’s a crisis for Ngāpuhi. Not a crisis in terms of the 827, but a crisis in terms of the abuse their children have suffered – no doubt at the hands of colonials. According to Dr Eruera, the recently released Whanaketia report highlighted that Māori made up the majority of at least 200,000 abused in state care between 1950 and 1999.
The report identified isolation from whakapapa, whānau, iwi and hapū as a form of abuse. But what of the abuse that led to them being in state care? Again, it’s always someone else who causes their problems. It’s time for putting blame where it really belongs: with whānau, iwi and hapū. The fact so many Māori children are in state is not a Pākehā problem – it’s a Māori problem.
How about they take responsibility and address the reasons? How about acknowledging the truth and speaking publicly to it, rather than the endless, racist rhetoric. If the government and others saw them making a genuine attempt to solve the problem, I’m sure assistance would be made available.
However, the government can’t do everything for them: there has to be some accountability. There is no point in returning children to whānau if that is not the safest place for them. That is at the heart of the changes Karen Chhour is determined to make.
This is far too an important matter to make it an issue of race. For things to change, they need to change. Race-based talk and insulting and violent rhetoric towards a minister or anyone else is not the answer.
There is an old saying ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ So too can the government and other relevant agencies. Ngāpuhi and other tribes with children in a similar situation could do well to take this on board. The path to improvement that they see as racist is one they are reluctant to take. More fool them.
