3. Question No. 3—ChildrenKAHURANGI CARTER (Green) to the Minister for ChildrenORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion time resumed.Question No. 3—Children3. KAHURANGI CARTER (Green) to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement regarding cuts to Oranga Tamariki that There will be no financial impact and there'[ll] be no impact on the frontline services. This is a guarantee"? Hon KAREN CHHOUR (Minister for Children): Yes in the context in which I said it which was in relation to the proposed Oranga Tamariki organisational restructure. From the beginning the safety of children has been at the forefront of all decision making about the proposed restructure and front-line managers and staff who report to them have been out of scope of this process. However I do recognise that this has been an unsettling time for all staff at Oranga Tamariki front-line or otherwise and I just want to take the opportunity to acknowledge this. Kahurangi Carter: What does she say to the chief executive of Māngere East Family Services who was forced to lay off a third of their front-line social workers because of these funding cuts and is concerned that "We won't be able to provide [support] to as many whānau as we have in the past. Whānau may miss out. Children may fall through the cracks"? Hon KAREN CHHOUR: The member is conflating two issues. My statement was in relation to the proposed Oranga Tamariki restructure. Kahurangi Carter: What does she say in response to Nikki Hurst of the New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services who said "Some of the things that will be winding up there is no comparable service available in that community" and how if at all will Oranga Tamariki be filling the gaps in front-line care and prevention that these contract cuts will create? Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll say again that the member is conflating two issues. My statement was in relation to the proposed Oranga Tamariki restructure. Kahurangi Carter: Does the Minister stand by the answer made on her behalf yesterday that funding "goes to services that are getting the outcomes that we expect and need" and if so why are the many service providers facing cuts getting no justification evidence or rationale from Oranga Tamariki behind why their funding is being cut? Hon KAREN CHHOUR: Yes. Kahurangi Carter: Will she apologise for Oranga Tamariki leaving hundreds of front-line care providers in the dark about their contracts and their funding for what Social Service Providers Aotearoa describe as "an unsettling and distressing few months for providers waiting to hear about funding decisions." and if not why not? Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll just continue to say this again: my statement was in relation to the proposed Oranga Tamariki restructure. Kahurangi Carter: Does she acknowledge as identified in the Aroturuki Tamariki report released today that shortages in front-line staffing contributed to Oranga Tamariki's failure to protect baby Malachi Subecz and continues to be an issue and if so how does Oranga Tamariki rationalise these cuts to front-line service provision? Hon KAREN CHHOUR: I'll say it again: the member is conflating two issues. My statement was in relation to the Oranga Tamariki restructure."