12. Question No. 12—ChildrenHARETE HIPANGO (National) to the Minister for ChildrenQuestion No. 12—Children12. HARETE HIPANGO (National) to the Minister for Children: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions regarding Oranga Tamariki?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister for Children): Let me start by saying any instance of allegations of harm at Oranga Tamariki residences is one too many. It's disappointing and saddening and totally unacceptable. I requested the role of Minister for Children to make a difference to tamariki and to enable communities to make decisions about and for their own children. I stand by the fact that children do better with whānau and the work that is under way to make this happen. What has allegedly happened in Oranga Tamariki residences is incredibly disappointing and deeply concerning and I know every party in Parliament feels the same on this. Every child deserves to feel safe and secure in these residences which is why I agree with the decisions announced yesterday.Harete Hipango: Who informed the Minister on Wednesday 8 June about the sexual abuse allegations at an Oranga Tamariki youth justice residence?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I can take the House through the time line of events if they wish. I was first informed of an incident at one of the care and protection residences on 8 June. I was advised that it was an isolated incident and that the staff had been removed from the residence. Police were immediately notified and there is an active investigation under way. I made it clear that this was unacceptable and that Oranga Tamariki needed to do better. So that was on 8 June. I think my adviser was the person that told me after she'd been contacted by Oranga Tamariki's chief executive.Harete Hipango: Why did the Minister for Children not immediately inform his chief executive of Oranga Tamariki of the sexual abuse allegation on 8 June or within 24 hours of the Minister being notified?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: It was the chief executive that informed my office—i.e. my adviser—who immediately informed me.Harete Hipango: How could that be when the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki in a media release dated Wednesday 21 June—yesterday—said and I quote Over the past week"—which is Wednesday 14 June to Wednesday 21 June—"I have been informed of two serious allegations involving staff acting inappropriately towards young people at Oranga Tamariki." when the Minister has disclosed to this House that he was notified on 8 June?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I think the member is confused. On 8 June I was notified about the first issue. Last Friday I was advised of the second issue at a separate residence. On Sunday I met with Oranga Tamariki where we discussed the situation and made the decision that there needed to be a review.Harete Hipango: Why when there were children clearly at risk did the Minister fail to act on 8 June and fail to notify his chief executive at the earliest for immediate action to be taken to either remove the children from the place of alleged abuse or remove the alleged abusers from the youth justice residence?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: The chief executive of Oranga Tamariki informed my office on 8 June. At the same time he informed us that the alleged perpetrator had been stood down and that the child protection protocols had been put in place. So Oranga Tamariki found out and acted immediately to address the situation.Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. When the Minister said in the House yesterday that the decision to appoint Mike Bush was the right one why did he think a former Police Commissioner was a suitable person to conduct an independent rapid assessment as opposed to the Children's Commissioner whom the children felt safe enough to open up to?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: The former commissioner Mike Bush has all the skills necessary to investigate what went on and to make the necessary changes. Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: What does the Minister say to survivors of State care abuse and long-time advocates such as Paora Moyle who called for all residences they refer to as "children's prisons" to be shut down in 2015 2021 and today?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: So there are two types of residences: a youth justice residence is where children and young people who have committed crimes go to; then there are care and protection residences which Oranga Tamariki is in a process of transferring out of. There are seven five-bedroom community-based residences planned to be built but this all takes time—not just to build the residences but also the model of care that's needed which will be different. So it just takes time; I'd like it to happen sooner rather than later but it is starting to happen.Jan Logie: Does he agree with the Children's Commissioner that residences are "not fit for purpose and they need to be closed down" and instead we should have "smaller home-style remand centres or places in the community" and if so—to what he's discussed just earlier—when will we see that happen?Hon KELVIN DAVIS: I do agree with the Children's Commissioner which is what I just said in the answer to Dr Kerekere. In terms of the when—like I said I would like it to be sooner rather than later but it is something that Oranga Tamariki is working on. Harete Hipango: Supplementary.SPEAKER: Sorry there are no more supplementaries—well there are in the room if other members want them? No? OK very well. That concludes oral questions."