8. Question No. 8—ChildrenHon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister for ChildrenQuestion No. 8—ChildrenSPEAKER: The House is going to be a little quieter before we call your question and the House will also bear in mind the comments I made earlier about interjections.8. Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME (Labour) to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that stakeholder groups Opposition parties Governments and Māori have all called for Oranga Tamariki to change. This is what change looks like"; if so why?Hon KAREN CHHOUR (Minister for Children): In answer to the first part of the question: yes in the context in which I said it which was in relation to the proposed Oranga Tamariki organisational restructure. In answer to the second part of the question: because it's not an option to keep the status quo; to do so would say we're happy with how the organisation is running now and delivering for children—and we know it's not.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Is the repeal of section 7AA which requires partnerships with Māori and reducing disparities for Māori the change that Māori have called for?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I have made it very clear since becoming Minister for Children that the best interests and safety of children are at the forefront of every decision that Oranga Tamariki makes.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Is the reintroduction of military-style boot camps the change that survivors of abuse in care have called for?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: My statement is in relation to the proposed restructure of Oranga Tamariki.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Is cutting $120 million in community prevention services like Family Start the change that community organisations have called for when Social Service Providers Aotearoa chief executive Belinda Himiona is saying that providers are very worried that child safety and that whānau wellbeing is going to be impacted by these reductions?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll say it again: my statement was in relation to the proposed restructure of Oranga Tamariki.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Was survivor of abuse in care Toni Jarvis correct when he said about a conversation he had with the Minister that "She told me she was not happy in some of the decisions she was having to make."?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I don't know what that is about but I have never made that statement.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Is the Minister saying that the survivor is being untruthful when he said that "She told me she was not happy in some of the decisions she was having to make."?SPEAKER: No I think you've got to get serious about that question. I mean I think firstly the Minister has no responsibility for what someone else has said. If the question could be put in a different way it might be reasonable but not the way it was presented.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Is the Minister therefore saying that she is happy to make the decision she is making about the reintroduction of boot camps the repeal of section 7AA the significant funding cuts to community service providers on the front line and if so why?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll repeat again: my statement was in relation to the proposed restructure of Oranga Tamariki.Kahurangi Carter: What would the Minister say to Ngā Puhi who protested the removal of 7AA on the forecourt of Parliament yesterday and said "You tell me how do you know our babies won't continue to be abused in state care? How do you know what's best for Ngāpuhi whānau marae hapū and iwi? How do you know that Oranga Tamariki will keep their word and care properly for our mokopuna when they have never ever done so?"Hon KAREN CHHOUR: What I would say is that since I've started as the children's Minister I have always made it very clear that the best interests and the safety of the children should be at the forefront of every decision made whether you're Māori non-Māori or any ethnicity in this country because I'm sick to death of us accepting the fact that we lose one baby every five weeks in this country to the hands of somebody who is supposed to care about them.Kahurangi Carter: What would the Minister say to Teresea Olsen from Kokiri Marae one of the only 7AA partners to have the status of chief executive over tamariki who has just found out that they have lost $1.5 million in contracts with Oranga Tamariki and is stripping community providers on the ground already working with whānau of funding what change looks like to her?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll say again: my statement was about the proposed restructure of Oranga Tamariki.Ricardo Menéndez March: Point of order. I raised a similar point of order last week but our team was abiding by your request to not interject and not to heckle when questions and answers were being given. But I am starting to get really concerned that members of the Government are actually undermining the efforts that some of us are trying to take to tone down the tone—coming from the New Zealand First side—particularly during the answers that the Minister was giving.SPEAKER: I've most certainly taken note of that and will be speaking about that with them very directly after question time."