Joint statement from agency Chief Executives in response to Independent Children’s Monitor report

Published: August 1, 2024

Chief Executives of six public service agencies charged with the wellbeing of children commissioned a review by Dame Karen Poutasi, in recognition that Malachi Subecz was let down by the system that should have protected him.

Dame Karen’s report proposed several changes across the wider children’s system to make sure there is an interconnected safety net that protects children.

Following those recommendations, the agencies who were the focus of Dame Karen’s report have worked hard on what is an incredibly complex and challenging process. A wide breadth of work is underway on all 13 recommendations with significant progress already made, and we are committed to changing the system for the better. Some of the recommendations will require ministerial decisions and legislative change.

There are no easy solutions when it comes to child abuse in our country. The causes lie deep in deprivation, intergenerational trauma, and other unmet needs while there are rarely easy responses when the state is called to intervene in families and whānau to protect children and young people.

Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor’s report into the first 12 months of progress on these recommendations concludes that change has not been quick enough in certain areas. There is clearly much more work to do, and our agencies will work together on these challenging issues.

It will take time. The children’s system is complex, something the Independent Children’s Monitor has acknowledged in its report in the context of Dame Karen’s recommendations.

But child abuse is a problem we must all tackle together – families, communities and government agencies – to keep our children and young people safe.

We are committed to doing so.

Signed:

Chappie Te Kani – Chief Executive, Oranga Tamariki

Andrew Coster – Commissioner, Police

Fepulea’i Margie Apa – Chief Executive, Health NZ – Te Whatu Ora

Iona Holsted – Chief Executive, Ministry of Education

Jeremy Lightfoot – Chief Executive, Department of Corrections

Andrew Kibblewhite – Chief Executive, Ministry of Justice

Debbie Power – Chief Executive, Ministry of Social Development

John Whaanga – Acting Director-General of Health, Ministry of Health

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