The ACT Party is calling for Children's Minister Kelvin Davis to take responsibility for recent failures facing Oranga Tamariki and resign.
The government department has been in the headlines over the last three weeks with major questions over the culture within its facilities.
Earlier this week, Newshub exclusively revealed footage of an MMA-style fight between children at Auckland's Korowai Manaaki Youth Justice Residence.
Oranga Tamariki has since confirmed 13 staff have been removed from the agency in recent weeks over a range of incidents, including those which prompted former Police Commissioner Mike Bush's review of the agency.
When appearing on AM on Wednesday, Davis was grilled about whether he would take responsibility for issues occurring under his watch.
The Children's Minister told AM the Labour Government is addressing the issues.
"That's what we're doing, we're owning it by saying we suspect there are problems and we're going out and fixing it," he said.
"I am responsible for making sure that the children of New Zealand are safe and by having this review and finding the problems and fixing them, that is taking responsibility."
Davis appeared on Newshub Nation on Saturday morning and continued to stress the review led by Bush would "flush out" the bad behaviour.
But ACT's children spokesperson Karen Chhour doesn't think that's good enough.
She said in a statement that Davis' appearance on Newshub Nation showed he's hiding behind the Oranga Tamariki review instead of taking action.
"Over the past couple of weeks, Oranga Tamariki has been all through the headlines for sexual abuse, filming of fights, and attempted breakouts," she said.
"Kelvin Davis wants to take credit for 'flushing out the bad behaviour'. He should be ashamed that things have gotten so bad under his watch."
When Davis was in opposition for Labour in 2015, he called for then-National Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga to resign after prisoner violence and the death of an inmate at Mt Eden prison.
Chhour believes Davis should sing off his own songsheet and resign following the recent issues at Oranga Tamariki.
"As Opposition corrections spokesperson, Davis called for Ministers to resign for much less than the long list of failures he has presided over. He should hold himself accountable to the same standard he does others and resign," Chhour said.
The current review of Oranga Tamariki isn't the first. Back in 2021, a review found "significant" and "persistent gaps" in the provision of care and treatment.
Chhour said this shows Labour can't review their way out of this situation.
"Davis says they will review recruitment and training of staff. There was already an Oranga Tamariki review in 2021 that exposed issues around recruitment and training, do we really need another review to tell us what we already know? It's time for action," Chhour said.
"The last few years has been proof enough that the Government can't review their way out of this situation. At what point does the Minister take some responsibility?"
ACT wants to see Corrections take control of the youth justice facilities, with Oranga Tamariki not up to the job of running them, according to Chhour.
She also wants to see Davis take responsibility rather than hide behind reviews.
"Oranga Tamariki is failing in its core function, to provide care and protection to children in need. Minister Kelvin Davis has been missing in action for incident after incident, every time his department is pulled up for yet another issue he grumbles but nothing ever changes," she said.
"Oranga Tamariki needs to be serving our most vulnerable children and giving them the best chance in life. There's no more time for excuses and apologies, they need to start delivering."
Oranga Tamariki in the headlines
Newshub exclusively revealed on Tuesday footage of the fight that occurred at Korowai Manaaki in south Auckland. Police are investigating and four staff members have been stood down.
Just a few days earlier at the same facility, a 40-hour standoff with five armed teenagers who escaped onto the roof came to an end when they were given KFC and McDonald's to come down.
A week earlier, five other teenagers also escaped and made it onto the roof at the Te Puna Wai o Tuhinapo youth justice facility near Christchurch. They caused significant damage and a staff member suffered a fractured wrist.
They also spent the night on the roof before also receiving fast food to end the stand-off.
Four days before that, it was revealed two staff members were removed from the government department residences after allegations of inappropriate and sexual behaviour surfaced.
Davis confirmed to Newshub Nation on Saturday a young person was hurt in a youth justice facility and there is an ongoing police investigation.
"I'm not comfortable with what happened in the youth justice facilities. I've got the Minister for Children looking at what our options are to prevent these things from happening again," Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said when asked about the 40-hour stand-off in south Auckland.
