Jane Searle: Child Matters CEO on the need for Tom Phillips' children to have privacy

A children's advocate says Tom Phillips' children are not "public property" and the public don't have a right to know and debate their lives. 

Authorities say the children are safe and healthy and continuing to receive support. 

Their father died on Monday morning after being shot by police near Marokopa in western Waikato. 

Child Matters Chief Executive Jane Searle told Ryan Bridge we don't need to know everything we want to know about the children. 

She says they have a lengthy process of reintegrating into society and rebuilding their lives, and for that to be a public story wouldn't be healthy for those children. 

The Police officer injured in Monday's altercation is still in hospital. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The MATTERCOPA kids. They're now safe, they're in the hands
of ordering A Tamadiki, but they'll now face a lengthy
court and reintegration process could take years. So what do
we do in the meantime? Jane cele Child Matters CEO
with Me Live Jane, Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Good morning, Ryan.

Speaker 1 (00:14):
You reckon it's time to leave this story alone.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
I absolutely do. I think it's understandable why there's been
such a big story. But these children are not public property.
We do not have to know everything about them and
about their lives or we need to know is that
they're safe and that they're will and it's really a
question of social responsibility.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
A lot of people on the text machine that are
fired up about this. This morning I mentioned we were
going to talk Ryan. It's healthy to debate and ask
questions for people to understand and find the truth. That
is the tenor of the text. What do you reckon?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
No? I disagree. I think there's not an interest for
these children. They have got a lengthy reintegration into their
new reality and time to build their new lives that
will be years in the making, and so for them
to be public property or for that to be part
of a public story is not how you for those children,
and I don't think that we have a right to
that In this age of reality TV. I think sometimes

(01:05):
the boundaries get blurred, but we have to do what's
in the best interest of these children.

Speaker 1 (01:10):
What's worse because people are talking about it and are
going to talk about it and will be interested in it.
Is it worse for the media to do that or
for social media to fill the void?

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Well? I don't thinking stop social media, can you? I
think responsible reporting around us and I think we've sent
some good reporting is very important, but again we don't
need to know the details. It's not in the children's
interests after what they've been through. I don't think as
much to us that we've given some space and some
privacy from there on, all.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Right, Jane cel Child matters CEO For more.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
From Early Edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to News
Talks it Be from five am weekdays, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.