Peter Boshier: Chief Ombudsman reveals Oranga Tamariki failed to properly investigate reports of violence against children

The Chief Ombudsman says we can't yet be confident Oranga Tamariki will keep kids safe following the release of a new report.

This report revealed Oranga Tamariki failed to investigate an abuse case involving four children, despite nine separate reports of mistreatment by their mother's partner.

Peter Boshier says Oranga Tamariki was also given photographic evidence related to these incidents - and they should have carried out a proper in-depth investigation, at the very least. 

"I had hoped that after I did my report on the death of Malachi Subecz two years ago - and the assurances were given by Oranga Tamariki that there would be dramatic change. And yet, this has happened."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now the chief Onwardsman has had another crack at autoing Atomitiki,
this time for receiving multiple reports that a mum's partner
was abusing her very young kids, and despite even having photos,
OT didn't investigate this properly. Peter bowches with us right now.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hey, Peter, good afternoon, Heather Peter.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
These kids are safe now, aren't they.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well. The assurance given to me is that they have
been moved from the abuse of home where they were
to the care of their father, and there is a
safety plan in place. There's been a previous safety plan
in place here. I just hope this one works better
than the last one did.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Now the photos, in particular, how compelling was the evidence
that these kids were being abused? And this is evidence
that was given to.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
OT when there are multiple complaints of the sort here,
including from the children's own lawyer. This evidence should have
been compelling. At the very least, there should have been
a responsible, in depth investigation. I had hoped, either after
I did my report on the death of Malachi Shuebex

(01:05):
two years ago, and the assurance was forgiven by or
ung A Tamaiki that there would be dramatic change, and
yet this has happened, And so the reason I've gone
so public on this is that I just need accountability
in situations where children are being abused, and in this case,
one was even psychologically and physically abused by being kidnapped,

(01:27):
and orung A Tomriki stood on the sideline and watched,
so to speak to me, it's maladministration and it's not acceptable.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
Did they do any kind of investigation? Did they do anything?
They got these.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Reports, they did a cursory examination and investigation. It wasn't enough.
They were inclined to be dismissive when one of the
family members, another family member applied to the family court
because or ung A Tamariki wasn't it seems taking a
sert of action to compound the pestilence. Or Tomaiki filed

(02:01):
a report for the family court that misled the judge
about the nature of the harm, in other words, that
it didn't put the true nature of the harm and reality.
And I found that very very disturbing.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Have you lost complete confidence in these guys?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Well, what I want to say about confidence is that
you earn it. It's the same with the job I do.
It's the same job that anyone does ordering a tomareiki
needs to obtain New Zealand's confidence. There are elements and
sights which work well. There are some where you don't
know what's going to happen, and this is a site
where we will need to have our confidence restored. I'm

(02:40):
going to look during the time I've got left in
the job at measures of performance and measures of success.
If complaints continue at this rate, they've got an awful
long way to go before they obtain my confidence and
I think the public's confidence.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Peter, thanks very much for talking to us about that.
That's Peter Bosher, the chief onwardsman. For more from Hither
to Plasy Allen Drive, listen live to News Talk Set
B from four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.