Carter Kahurangi; O'Connor GregKAHURANGI CARTER (Green): Thank you. I am sitting here listening trying to make sense of why this Government is repealing a law that protects vulnerable children a law which has proven itself through positive outcomes for those vulnerable children a law which the Government should be praising because it helps right the wrongs of the State which has systematically failed children and whānau. The Minister's trauma-informed decision-making not evidence-based policy. It's important that New Zealanders understand what we are really talking about here. We're talking about a Government who is making decisions based on their own anti-Tiriti vibes not evidence. We know the Prime Minister doesn't understand section 7AA because today he said We are united in the coalition Government that we are prioritising the wellbeing of the child ahead of their cultural needs." They're the same thing—they are the same thing. This is a dangerous game the Government is playing essentially saying honouring Te Tiriti is harmful to tamariki. Let me be clear: there has been no empirical evidence that 7AA puts cultural needs above the wellbeing of the child.If this Government was serious about evidence-based policy making it would wake up to the hard evidence presented to it by officials time and time again that the ratio of Māori to non-Māori in State care has reduced because of 7AA that Māori children in State care have reduced because of 7AA that children and young people in care are telling us 7AA is working. All of the names the Minister for Children has just mentioned those tragic cases were all before 7AA came out. Evidence—let's use the evidence. When we make decisions based on the best knowledge and evidence we all win. This Government is gatekeeping knowledge by not using evidence and our tamariki are the ones who lose out.We are all here because we want the best for our children. That is what unites us and we have to hold on to that and embrace it. Isn't that what our kids deserve? It's our duty to take the best knowledge from the mainstream system and from te ao Māori. We can take the best of both worlds so that our tamariki grow up safe and protected. Instead of repealing a bill which is protecting children from a State that was harming them we need to be looking at more solutions because there is so much more that we need to do. We cannot throw the baby away with the bath water.There is no denying that this Government has failed as a guardian especially to Māori children who are continuously overrepresented in statistics of abuse in State care outcomes in health education housing—a shameful fact for all New Zealanders. Section 7AA is how we keep Oranga Tamariki and the State accountable to protecting children; 7AA enables restoration into generations of systematic neglect.Let's not forget why 7AA was brought in: to manaaki children to be their best selves connected to their community and their whānau because the State was failing our tamariki. Seven out of 10 children in care were Māori. Oranga Tamariki staff were failing to adequately find homes within a child's whānau ripping them from their whānau and whakapapa without due cause. Section 7AA is about accountability and protecting tamariki Māori.Te ao Māori has so much to offer. In te ao Māori we look to nature for guidance. Tamariki are like seeds in the forest filled with so much promise and potential. When their root systems grow strong they can weather many storms. Our tamariki need strong roots connected to their whānau just like the trees in our forest. Systems in nature teach us how to care for our tamariki. Like that very seed the child is part of a whānau a community and it is their birthright to be connected.Sitting in the gallery today is Whānau Ora and Kōkiri Marae who support children and whānau to stay connected. They put the safety and protection of children first always—something this Government should learn from. By repealing 7AA their incredible success stories and mahi with whānau and tamariki are in jeopardy.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Greg O'Connor): Members this is a very emotionally charged debate. I'll invite you on both sides just to observe the tikanga of this House and just keep your comments away from anything personal please. I'll allow debate to take the course it has but please just observe that in these quite emotionally charged times things can get out of control quite quickly. So I'll invite all speakers and all interjectors just to take that into account please. Thank you."