A Māori health expert has blasted Oranga Tamariki, saying the system is "broken and beyond repair" and perpetuates a "master-servant relationship" between Māori and the Crown, despite the Government organisation claiming there are "significant signs" it has improved outcomes for Māori tamariki.
Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive Hoani Lambert says there are "several" encouraging signs which show a "significant shift" in how Māori interact with Oranga Tamariki.
On Thursday Oranga Tamariki released the first of its Section 7AA progress reports - documenting what it has changed since its legislation was amended in July 2019 following outrage over the attempted uplift of a Māori woman's newborn baby in Hastings.
Lambert says there is still work to be done but things are improving.
"For the first time in a number of years, we are seeing a reduction of Māori children in care," said Lambert.
"We have also seen a drop in the number of Māori babies coming into care."
A 2019 report from the Office of the Children's Commissioner found newborn Māori babies were five times as likely to be taken into care as non-Māori.
Thursday's report shows a general decline in the number of Māori children being taken into care - down from 1220 in 2019 to 874 - but Māori are still more likely to enter the care system than non-Māori.
On the same day, the report was released an urgent inquiry into the uplifting of Māori children was held at the Waitangi Tribunal in Wellington.
There, the National Urban Māori Authority blasted Oranga Tamariki for the "devastating impact" it has on Māori.
Chair of the Authority and managing director of Te Kōhao Health Lady Tureiti Moxon told the Tribunal Oranga Tamariki is "broken and beyond repair" as it "undermines the very core foundations of Māori society - whanau, hapū and iwi".
Lady Tureiti says the model is not working and must be changed in order to improve outcomes for Māori.
"Māori have the capacity and capability to do better than Oranga Tamariki based on a Māori worldview," she told the Tribunal.
"A by Māori, for Māori and with Māori solution is the clue to solving the intergenerational trauma felt by far too many of our people."
The Oranga Tamariki report says its partnerships with iwi, hapūand whānau are already driving change.
"We know that the best way to turn around outcomes for tamariki Māori is co-designing a for-Māori, by-Māori approach," said Lambert.
"We are moving in the right direction, but we know change takes time and there is still a huge amount of work to be done," he said in a statement on Thursday.
"Working alongside our partners is how we will get there, and we are working more closely than ever before with iwi, hapū and whānau as we know the best place for tamariki is with safe whānau."
But Lady Tureiti says it's not good enough.
"We are looking for a true partnership with the Crown - it is not what we currently have which is a master-servant relationship, or a contract,"
"The relationship Māori have with the Crown is one of subservience whereby the Crown dictates the terms and we must comply or be barred from participation," she continued.
She asked the Tribunal to "be brave' and bring about the change she is asking for - a standalone Māori health authority, funded by the Government which would be legislatively protected to improve outcomes for Māori tamariki mokopuna.
The Waitangi Tribunal will continue on Friday, where submissions from the Crown will be heard.
