Matt Reid: Barnardos Chief Executive on helpline funding reversal

Children's Minister Karen Chhour has reversed an Oranga Tamariki decision to pull funding from the Barnardos helpline.

It comes after Oranga Tamariki providers were given little notice their funding would end last year, a process the Auditor General is looking into.

The Minister has told Oranga Tamariki to pause it's review of funding and extend existing contracts with providers until the end of the year.

Barnardos Chief Executive Matt Reid has welcomed the reversal.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So Children's Minister Cantour has reversed an orang A Tamaiki
decision to pull funding from the Bernardo's helpline. And this
comes after olng A Tamariki providers were given very little
notice that their funding would end, which resulted in much
tears approcessed by the way that the Auditor General is
looking into. The Minister has told a Tamariki to pause

(00:21):
its review of funding and extend existing contracts with providers
until the end of the year. So Bernardo's chief executive
Matt Reed joins me, Now, good morning to your matte.

Speaker 2 (00:31):
Good morning injury.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
So a reprieve, but you'd probably argue you shouldn't have
ever been in danger anyway.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Oh Andrew, it's been a really difficult process with a Rangatamriki.
But I understand the focus on the corresponsibility. So I've
got the nrdest job to do, arguably doing the most
important work so that the've you know, there's been a
fiscal squeeze and I've had some tough decisions to make,
so I do understand.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Okay, how are you told about the funding decision being reversed?

Speaker 2 (01:00):
So I've got an email from the Minister's office yesterday morning.
Obviously we were delighted. I eight hundred. What's up as
a really important service for five to nineteen year olds
doing doing professional counseling for young ones when they need
instant support and advice?

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay? And what's it like trying to get a contract
from Olang and Tamariki? How torturous is it or not?

Speaker 2 (01:23):
And again it's been a difficult process around contracting. But
again I understand the context. They have a difficult job,
but there's only so much money and they are focusing
rightfully on care and protection, which is you know, young
people in care and FINO young people close to care.
So I do understand, and I think the greater challenge
here is the whole of government challenge around how these

(01:45):
other services, particularly prevention early intervention services get funded again.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Fix it at the source and you don't get bigger
problems down further down the track. So you've got funding
for a year and then the courses up in the
air again. So what can you do with that?

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Well, I think we need to understand a bit more
detail about the announcement yesterday. My reading of it is
that the funding form walks up will continue beyond this year,
which we're delighted about. For Bernardo's EARTC. We have to
raise the other half of the cost of the service
ourselves through incredible partners like Milford Foundation in OfficeMax and

(02:24):
amazing New Zealanders, and so that call to action is
still there from Barnardo's. We still need support to keep
this really important service going. Obviously the government decision yesterday
has been hugely helpful.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
This community help and altruism is a good thing. So
if someone listening to this wants to give you some
money to do the WhatsApp thing, how could they do that?

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Please look at it. Please look at our website. Contact
anyone at Bernardo's contact me personally, but you can go
straight to our website and have a look at the
firstly the incredible work serving thirteen thousand young people every year,
and if you want to support, we would obviously be
really thankful for that.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
All right, Matt, got to work. You've got great work
to do, and I thank you so much for your time.
Matt Reid. He is Bonado's chief executive.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
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