Ngarewa-Packer DebbieDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Tēnā koe e te Pīka. Tēnā tātou e te W'are. I rise on behalf of Te Paati Māori to speak to the second reading of the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People's Commission Bill. We actively opposed this bill at first reading and we continue to oppose it now. The submissions received by the select committee only serve to confirm and strengthen our view that it is reform that is short-sighted breaches Te Tiriti and to be perfectly honest is downright dangerous. In the words of the submission from leading Māori public-health advocates Hāpai te Hauora [The bill] will not only stagnate any attempts to pursue better outcomes for tamariki and whānau engaged with Oranga Tamariki but may even perpetuate the harms and dysfunction of the current Oranga Tamariki system at disproportionate and irreparable rates." It is obvious that the Crown has learnt nothing from the constant controversies surrounding Oranga Tamariki. This is a systemically broken organisation. Racism paternalism and cultural disregard run rampant. And yet in this bill the Government relegates tangata whenua oversight to a Māori advisory board under a Crown agency within the Education Review Office. It would almost be laughable if it wasn't so disgraceful. There is no Government department that needs robust independent and Treaty-compliant oversight more than a department that has responsibility for child protection. As Moana Jackson who's been quoted quite a lot tonight said the Crown has no right to put our children into State care. Our role therefore must be to dismantle these Crown systems of oppression and in its place devolve power and resources to w'ānau hapū and iwi through a mokopuna Māori agency as affirmed in Te Paati Māori's policy. As we work towards that goal we must hold Oranga Tamariki to account at every step on how it treats every single one of our babies in every w'ānau community and region across Aotearoa. We must hold their feet to the fire and say "Not one more mokopuna will be stolen from their w'ānau hapū and iwi—not one more child." Despite the need for much-greater and more independent oversight and monitoring the Government remains determined on changing the monitor of Oranga Tamariki from an independent Crown entity to a departmental agency when this inevitably reduces the independence of the oversight. In no way does the bill provide for the Te Tiriti o Waitangi guarantee of tino rangatiratanga of w'ānau hapū and iwi over the care and protection of tamariki Māori. It also weakens the role of the Children's Commissioner a role which has proven to provide important advocacy for tamariki Māori. As was so accurately put in the submission of Hon Dame Tariana Turia Dame Areta Koopu Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi Merepeka Raukawa-Tait and Lady Tureiti Moxon this bill relegates tangata whenua to the provider level and effectively maintains a system that is destructive. Despite submissions from dozens of kaupapa Māori organisations hauora groups community groups Māori legal academics and NGOs the Government continues to ignore their calls for change. Of 403 submissions on this bill—403 submissions on this bill—only eight were in favour. A mihi to the young 16-year-old Ihorangi Reweti-Peters who's been upstairs and has been giving evidence on abuse in care actively opposing this like many submitters. The Crown has not listened. This is an act of extreme arrogance and represents an abuse of colonial power that has no place in this 21st century. Te Paati Māori opposes this legislation in the strongest possible terms. We will seek to amend the bill as drafted and we'll continue to work with our people to stop this. In the words of Dr Fleur Te Aho "The bill cannot progress unless these fundamental issues for Māori are addressed. It also cannot proceed until the bigger-picture issue of how Oranga Tamariki will be overhauled and how Māori will lead this transformation is taken." You have been told by the most traumatised to stop. It's truly heartbreaking to watch this and to watch you proceed with this bill. It is shameful. Te iwi Māori will not let it stand. We do not support this. Tēnā tātou katoa."