8. Question No. 8—ChildrenHon NICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister for ChildrenQuestion No. 8—Children8. Hon NICOLE McKEE (ACT) to the Minister for Children: What reports if any has she seen on section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989?Hon KAREN CHHOUR (Minister for Children): I have seen reports of cases where social workers may have used section 7AA to justify decisions on care arrangements for Māori children which may not have been safe or in their best interests. For example the members of this House will know about the case of a young girl referred to as Moana". After suffering trauma and neglect Moana was placed with a safe and loving foster family. After a number of years with her foster family and being in a safe environment for the first time Oranga Tamariki suddenly decided to uplift Moana because her foster parents were Pākehā and Oranga Tamariki didn't think they could provide for her cultural needs. Cultural needs can never be at the expense of the safety and wellbeing and best interests of our children.Hon Nicole McKee: What other reports or statements has the Minister seen on section 7AA?Hon Willow-Jean Prime: Because that wasn't one!SPEAKER: Look just calm a little bit.Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I have seen a statement claiming that if section 7AA was around when I was a child I would have been "raised Māori" and would have been connected with my whakapapa and would have known my Māoritanga. The statement goes on to say that I was raised Pākehā with a "disconnection and disdain" for my own people and that my experience is exactly why we need section 7AA. I'm not going to stand here and justify how I was raised—Mariameno Kapa-Kingi: Well you are—yes you are. That's exactly what you're doing. Hon KAREN CHHOUR: —but I am also not going to let anyone else especially Te Pāti Māori think that they can tell my story for me especially when they have no idea what they're talking about.Hon Willow-Jean Prime: That was her own report.Rawiri Waititi: She said it herself.SPEAKER: Just when everyone's settled.Hon Nicole McKee: Thank you Mr Speaker. Will the repeal of section 7AA mean the end of strategic partnerships that Oranga Tamariki has with iwi and Māori organisations?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I have been very clear throughout this process that Oranga Tamariki should continue with strategic partnerships and I will continue saying that over and over again until people listen. Where these are delivering positive results and better outcomes for our young people they will continue. Oranga Tamariki currently have 10 strategic partnerships and I have directed officials to continue with these and enter into new partnerships when and where there are good reasons to do so. I have also received advice from officials that makes it very certain that repealing section 7AA will not prevent Oranga Tamariki from continuing to work with existing strategic partners or entering into new strategic partnerships.Hon Nicole McKee: Does the Minister agree with the statement that "The repeal of Section 7AA is a targeted extermination of our babies … exterminating any ounce of culture identity and any sense of Māori selves."?Hon KAREN CHHOUR: No I don't. As I've said consistently this is about ensuring Oranga Tamariki puts the safety wellbeing and the best interests of children not race at the forefront of social-work practice and decision making. I can't understand how anyone can think there is anything more important than the safety and wellbeing of our children. Repealing section 7AA is not about disregarding the whakapapa of Māori children; section 7AA places duties on the chief executive that are at odds with the agency's primary purpose which is to support the wellbeing of our most vulnerable and at-risk children."