TAKING ACTION With Karen Chhour ACT List MP

Should a child ever be taken out of a safe, loving foster home? What if the Government did it because the child's foster parents were the ‘wrong' race? Could this really happen in New Zealand? Sadly, it's happening right now.

Section 7AA was introduced into the Oranga Tamariki Act to honour the Treaty of Waitangi. It has meant taking a Māori child out of a safe and loving Pakeha foster home where they've lived for years is encouraged; that is at odds with the agency's primary purpose to support the wellbeing of our most vulnerable and at-risk children.

I'm campaigning to change this. My petition to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act has hit 11,600 signatures. If you haven't seen it, find it at: www.colourblindcare.nz

My Member's Bill, which is due to be debated in Parliament, seeks to repeal section 7AA and ensure the wellbeing of the child is the paramount consideration of Oranga Tamariki. I hope Parliament, as a whole, can see that there shouldn't be a conflict between protecting the best interests of the child and race-based factors. This conflict has the potential to cause real harm to our children.

As someone who grew up dealing with Child, Youth and Family, I have deep appreciation of what children need. Each child, regardless of race, has their own individual circumstances and family background – this means we should never take a blanket race-based approach. Every child should be seen as an individual and their wellbeing must come first.

Oranga Tamariki's governing principles and its Act should be colour-blind, utterly child-centric and open to whatever solution will ensure a child's wellbeing. My Member's Bill would ensure this happens, placing more value on the best interests of the child rather than the Treaty.

If you agree with me on this, I encourage you to support my campaign.