Podcasts about oranga tamariki

The Independent Children's Monitor says it's clear our child protection system is under immense stress. Its review shows carers killed 24 children between December 2021 and June 2025. It finds no improvement, despite recommendations in a review of the murder of five-year-old Malachi Subecz in 2021. Children's Monitor CEO Arran Jones told Mike Hosking that while there are deep-seated issues that go beyond what the agencies can respond to, there are certainly things that can be improved. He says the lack of progress up to this point is an issue of prioritisation, and it's about making sure the problem is front of mine not only for Oranga Tamariki, but for all the agencies that have a role to play. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government is seeking an explanation from Oranga Tamariki. This follows confirmation of the existence of a clause which allows for 'discretionary paid cultural leave', which is self-defined and not subject to managerial scrutiny. Children's Minister Karen Chhour said that the clause was added prior to her becoming minister in 2023, and although she can't get rid of the contract, she intends to make her feelings known. "I can't scrap signed contracts, but what I can do is make my concerns about this known." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the end of each week, Mike Hosking takes you through the big-ticket items and lets you know what he makes of it all. LNG: 7/10 An example of the times. A decent idea to help solve a genuine issue and yet too many miss the point and bitch about tax vs levy vs fee. Greg Foran: 7/10 Back where he belongs. There is a book there. What he thought it might be and what it was, is several chapters worth. OT and cultural leave: 2/10 When you promise something as this Government did, especially around emotive issues like this, you've got to deliver. The fact this is real and still exists speaks to the angst around the race issues this country battles with. The Covid review: 8/10 I don't care if it's political. It's good its political. We all need a reminder of the damage and pain that results from incompetence and arrogance. Super Bowl: 8/10 The second most watched TV event ever, only behind the most watched TV event ever, which was also the Super Bowl. Spot the sport going places. LISTEN ABOVE FOR MIKE HOSKING'S FULL WEEK IN REVIEWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast for Friday the 13th of February, is there a water tax in the RMA bill? Chris Bishop responds to some angry farmers. Karen Chhour answers questions about why there is Maori leave entitlements at Oranga Tamariki and whether it is more widespread than one Government department. Kate Hawkesby and Tim Wilson on concert reviews, adult kids back at the house and Kiwis bed times. Get the Mike Hosking Breakfast Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We dive into the controversial cultural leave entitlements for Māori staff at Oranga Tamariki. Minister Karen Chhour joins us to explain why she finds the PSA contract disappointing and how she is campaigning for equality from within the system. Plus, Duncan tackles the Green Party proposal to grant whales legal personhood, calling it a constitutional experiment that could cause a logistical nightmare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tell you what—I'm not feeling terribly hopeful about the situation for vulnerable kids in this country after reading the coroner's recommendations following the death of Malachi Subecz. You'll remember the case of Malachi. I'm not going to go through the details again; sufficient to say it happened about four and a half, nearly five years ago, and it fired up public anger because of the number of times his wider family tried to warn authorities that something was going to happen—and yet he was not protected. One of the recommendations the coroner has made today in her report is that Oranga Tamariki—OT, formerly CYFS—run a public awareness campaign to help people identify possible signs of abuse and understand how to take action. To be fair to her, that idea isn't new. It came from an earlier review. She's simply pointing out that it still hasn't happened, and is reiterating that the campaign should go ahead. But really? Is that what we need in this country—a public campaign to tell us what child abuse looks like? I think we all know what child abuse looks like. I struggle to believe that there are people who do not know that breaking a child's bone is abuse. So isn't this just the kind of thing well-meaning people suggest to make themselves feel like they're doing something, when really it changes nothing—because maybe there's very little you actually can do? The problem in Malachi's case wasn't that people didn't know what child abuse looked like. People did see the abuse. They absolutely recognised it as abuse. And they went to OT and said, “Hey, Malachi is being abused. Here's the proof.” By my count, they did that about five times—if not more. And OT didn't stop it. That is the problem. And it's the problem in so many of these tragic cases. When a child dies, we often discover afterwards that OT already knew the family—and yet the child ended up dead anyway. The problem isn't that you and I don't know what child abuse looks like. We do. The problem is that the agency responsible for stopping it apparently doesn't know what child abuse looks like—or at least doesn't act when it sees it. Never mind a public campaign. Fix that fundamental problem at Oranga Tamariki, and you might actually save a lot of lives. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast, more on the whistleblower who came forward from Oranga Tamariki, with claims of race-based cultural leave that isn't available to other staff. Duncan digs into why this government hasn't scrapped these entitlements yet, and reveals Minister Karen Chhour's "please explain" that has been issued to her own ministry. We also look at the "ethnic rankings" still being used in our health system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The brutal death of that poor wee boy Malachi is a disgrace. It's heartbreaking to think an adult could be so cruel to young child. Malachi was beaten, starved, thrown against walls... you name it. Basically torture. Now we have these debates popping up about it. Should the Minister front for interviews? Karen Chhour, herself a product of the foster care system, was criticised yesterday for attending a pre-planned lunch event to eat some lamb on Parliament's lawn. She should have, according to the RNZ story, presumably been inside answering questions about why more wasn't being done about this boy's murder, which you might recall was back in 2021. Kelvin Davis, you may also recall, came in for a hammering from the media when was Minister. So, I think we should all be really clear, neither Karen nor Kelvin nor any politicians are responsible for the deaths of babies. The fact there is no culprit for the death of Baby Ru in the Hutt is, you could say, the fault of the Police. But ultimately, as with all these cases, fault ultimately lies with those who do the killing, and those who do the covering up. You know, the family who won't speak to Police. The partner who won't do in their other half. They're the real culprits here. Yes, there are things we can learn. Things we can do. Things we change. We can change the name of the agency. We can add a red-flag system. We can appoint a Children's Commissioner. But ultimately none of it does much good, does it? We average around 10 or 11 kids killed by homicide ever year. Ask OT, or CYFs before them, and they'll tell reports of abuse seem to be trending down, but they have a new thing called reports of concern which are going up. We actually don't know if it's getting better or worse because of there's a data lag - I know, incredible. But you'd have to say, on the whole, the picture's not rosy, and no amount of stalking MPs around Parliament is going to fix it. Any fix, surely, has to happen inside the home.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode starts with a whistleblower from inside Oranga Tamariki who says a newly negotiated collective agreement has crossed a serious line. Duncan reveals a clause agreed between Oranga Tamariki and the Public Service Association that grants Māori staff discretionary paid cultural leave, with obligations self-defined and not open to challenge by managers. No equivalent entitlement exists for non-Māori staff. The whistleblower says they were too afraid to raise concerns internally, worried it could damage their career. Duncan breaks down why he believes this is a race-based workplace entitlement that undermines trust, fuels resentment, and stretches the Treaty well beyond its intent. He also shares polling that points to a knife-edge election and responds to listener questions about Stuart Nash, cancellation, and forgiveness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A youth advocate says Oranga Tamariki's evaluation of the boot camp pilot tells us nothing we didn't know. It's revealed six of the nine youth participants re-offended after being released - but less seriously than a cohort not included. Kickback co-founder Aaron Hendry says these young people have experienced significant harm, including neglect, poverty and homelessness. "It's about addressing the housing insecurity, it's about addressing the poverty, it's about actually supporting whanau as a community, to heal - and about support ensuring they have the right support and care around them to be safe." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joins Mike Hosking live on Newstalk ZB and explains why National's 'Water Done Well' is better than Three Waters even though it's now proven to cost moreLabour leader Chris Hipkins joins Q+A to go through the finer points of the capital gains tax policy, and whether Labour is projected to bring in enough revenue to pay for its promises. Minister for Children Karen Chhour joins Q+A to talk about the reduction in youth crime rates, along with the complex picture of harm emerging for children in Oranga Tamariki care.Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere is fuming after members from his own party called for resignation.=================================Come support the work we're doing by becoming a Patron of ⁠⁠#BHN⁠⁠ www.patreon.com/BigHairyNews⁠=================================Merch available at www.BHNShop.nz Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/BigHairyNews Follow us on Twitter.@patbrittenden @Chewie_NZFollow us on BlueskyPat @patbrittenden.bsky.socialChewie @chewienz.bsky.socialEmily @iamprettyawesome.bsky.socialMagenta @xkaosmagex.bsky.social

Minister for Children Karen Chhour joins Q+A to talk about the reduction in youth crime rates, along with the complex picture of harm emerging for children in Oranga Tamariki care. She admits to misspeaking in a previous interview about the nature of harm being suffered by children outside OT residences, after previously appearing to downplay the severity of some of those incidents. And with an estimated half of all children in state care affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Minister Chhour talks about the new FASD action plan. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

A disproportionate number of children in state care face harm when returned home. Oranga Tamariki's annual report shows an overall increase in abuse or neglect in state care, with 530 children experiencing harm in the year ending March. That's 23 up on the previous year. Independent children's monitor, Arran Jones, says about half of children return in an unplanned way. "You've got voices of parents there saying - I just wasn't ready for my young person to come home, I've got drug and alcohol issues, I've got mental health issues I haven't been able to address, I'm not ready to have them home." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Gloriavale leaver is recalling the confronting impact of child discipline practices used in the sect. Police have issued two formal warnings to the community after investigating allegations parents would cover the noses and mouths of crying children. A Herald investigation has revealed officers conducted more than 100 interviews. Virginia Courage says in one instance, a little boy was brought to her unconscious. "He wasn't breathing, and his father just threw him at me. I don't even know if he said anything, I just went into get-this-kid-breathing mode." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 16 October 2025, senior political correspondent Barry Soper and former Finance Minister Ruth Richardson share their memories of the late Jim Bolger. Police and Oranga Tamariki have been secretly investigating Gloriavale for serious allegations of mistreatment of children. Gloriavale leaver Virginia Courage tells Heather what she witnessed while living in the community. Broadcaster Sean Plunket speaks to Heather after the Broadcasting Standards Authority defended its decision to go after online content. The Health Minister has accused senior doctors for crossing a moral line with their ongoing strikes. Plus, the Huddle debates whether we should be worried about our new Chinese built Interislander ferries because the shipyard has been linked to the Chinese military. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ministers from both sides of the divide are praising the Police for their handling of the Tom Phillips situation. The four-year manhunt for Phillips ended early on Monday, when he was shot and killed by Police after he shot at an officer in rural Waikato. The children were safely recovered and are in the care of Oranga Tamariki. Former Police Minister Ginny Andersen says authorities have been doing their best, during the four-year search for Phillips. She told Mike Hosking the area is very remote and a difficult part of the country to navigate, so she thinks the police did everything they could. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Hosking the police have been outstanding, and the huge relief is having the children in a safe situation. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki says circumstances are unprecedented, as they care for fugitive Tom Phillips' three children. The four-year manhunt for the Marokopa father ended in the early hours of yesterday, when he was shot dead by police in Waikato. Children's Minister Karen Chhour says Tom Phillips' children are Oranga Tamariki's main focus - as they remain in the agency's care. "As an organisation, Oranga Tamariki has been working on a plan since the day they disappeared. That plan may have to change, depending on the circumstances of the young people." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police are still searching for the remaining children of fugitive Tom Phillips, who died this morning after a shootout with police. Phillips was killed and a constable was left with critical head injuries after being shot. One of Phillips' three children was with him at the time and is now in the custody of Oranga Tamariki and police. Reporter Natalie Akoorie spoke to Lisa Owen from Piopio. 

Tom Phillips' children are in the care of Oranga Tamariki after nearly four years on the run with their fugitive father. Child psychologist Dr Sarah Watson spoke to Corin Dann.

Tired but happy - a group of at-risk teens have returned from a three-day expedition in Canterbury's outdoors. The trip took thirteen 12-15-year-olds referred by Oranga Tamariki and police hiking, cycling and swimming to build their confidence and outdoors skills. Anna Sargent reports.

A coroner has found Oranga Tamariki and the police failed in their duty to protect a 10-month-old baby, murdered by his father who was high on methamphetamine. Timothy Brown has more.

After providing help and support to women for almost four decades, Auckland's North Shore Women's Centre will close its doors in November due to funding shortfalls. And it's far from alone 236 service providers have been affected since a sweeping programme of cuts was implemented last year. Oranga Tamariki says the reductions have saved tens of millions of dollars. But at what cost? Jimmy Ellingham reports.

Questions to Ministers HANA-RAWHITI MAIPI-CLARKE to the Minister of Education: What Maori education providers has she consulted with, if any, regarding the impact her proposed education changes will have on Maori learners across Aotearoa? NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What reports has she seen on New Zealand's fiscal policy and tax settings? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Immigration: What recent announcements has she made about supporting businesses to access seasonal workers? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS to the Minister for Energy: Does he agree with the chief executive officer of Consumer NZ and the managing director of Simplicity, in the Protecting industry, jobs and household budgets as the gas runs out report, that accelerating heat pump adoption will reduce reliance on gas, protect jobs, improve public health, and lower energy costs for New Zealand families and businesses? LAURA McCLURE to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made about improving the experiences of Oranga Tamariki caregivers? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement about unemployment that "I'm really confident our approach is working"; if so, why is unemployment worse than this time last year, with 16,000 more people unemployed? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? CATHERINE WEDD to the Minister of Conservation: What recent announcements has he made about the Conservation Act 1987? Hon PEENI HENARE to the Associate Minister of Housing: Does he agree with Hon Chris Bishop that homelessness has "potentially ticked up a little bit, up a little bit more in the last couple of years"? GREG FLEMING to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent reports has he seen on growth in the mental health workforce?

An Oranga Tamariki Youth Justice senior leader's keen to see youth offender boot camps continue beyond the pilot. The 12-month military-style camp trial with 10 of New Zealand's most serious young offenders has wrapped. Eight completed the programme, seven re-offended requiring them to return to camp, and one passed away in a road accident. Oranga Tamariki Deputy CEO Ian Chapman says this was the last stop shop before a life in corrections. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 8 August 2025, the Israeli security cabinet has approved plans to take full control of Gaza. Israeli journalist Haggai Matar tells Heather this specifically means the IDF wants to take control of Gaza City but it's unclear where civilians are supposed to go. Oranga Tamariki is celebrating the end of the bootcamps pilot as a success. OT's Iain Chapman tells Heather for some kids the process has been totally life changing. Labour's Willow-Jean Prime is under fire for declining information or briefings on the Government's big changes to education - was she just being lazy? Otago University Professor Angela Ballantyne tells Heather how GPs are embracing AI - and what the pitfalls are that patients should be aware of. Plus, the Sports Huddle gets fired up on the issue of Richie Mo'unga and whether it's time to ditch NZ Rugby's eligibility rules. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I want to talk about kids being bashed by their families. We've had a really bad run of it - I don't know if you've realized - in the last few weeks. As far as I can see, just in the last 8 weeks, we've had the toddler in the suitcase, and we've had the baby in the bin in Auckland. We've also had a 2-month-old go to hospital with serious injuries that happened today, we've had a 3-month-old taken to hospital in Wellington in June, and we've had a 6-month-old critically injured at a Foxton Beach house in July. And we've hardly talked about this. I mean, we've talked about the toddler in the suitcase yesterday, world media talked about it too because it is so bizarre, it's hard to ignore. We also talked about the baby in the bin, that got about a day's worth of coverage, again, because that was pretty out there - putting a baby in a bin. But everything else, almost no coverage. Now, do you know why that is? I mean, part of it is obviously that this is now not unusual anymore. We just bash our babies all the time in this country apparently - but also because you're not actually allowed to talk about it. I don't know if you realize this, but the moment that Oranga Tamariki, which is the new CYFS, uplifts a kid, the Family Court orders basically automatic blanket suppression on it. Which means the police can't say anything, it means OT itself can't say anything, it means the media can't say anything. So the news coverage just basically dies. We get: "baby's gone to hospital," and that's the end of it. No more coverage. It's actually only when the child dies that we can talk about it in detail because there is now no young person to protect anymore. Now, isn't that the opposite of what we want? I mean, I think this is doing our kids a disservice. I understand why we did this in the first place, why we put these suppression orders in - the idea was to protect the privacy of these young people. But what it is also doing is protecting the privacy of the thugs in their families who put them in hospital or in the suitcase or in the bin. And what it also means is that no one then talks about what's going on. We're not horrified by the detail because there is no detail, so we don't talk about it, including politicians - and they should be the ones pitching solutions. At the rate that we're bashing our kids, this should be an election issue every single election - but it's not because we hardly talk about it because of the rules. So surely the rules should change. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A 27-year-old woman has appeared in court charged with ill-treating a toddler who was found inside a suitcase, stowed under a bus. Oranga Tamariki said the case is "distressing", while locals in Kaiwaka, where the toddler was discovered, have been left shocked. Kim Baker Wilson reports.

Oranga Tamariki is being ordered to pay more than $100,000 after trying to remove a Māori child from her Pākehā foster parents. The agency didn't think they could meet her cultural needs. Family Court Judge Peter Callinicos slammed Oranga Tamariki for putting ideology ahead of a child's best interests. Children's Minister Karen Chhour says the case highlights why she fought to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. "This just shows what this means in practice - and it's absolutely devastating for everybody involved." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Tuesday, 29 July 2025, 36,000 nurses are set to go on strike tomorrow. Health NZ's Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard tells Heather the impact on elective surgeries is huge as thousands will have their operations delayed. NZ business legend Sir Michael Hill has passed away. Chair of Michael Hill, Rob Fyfe, tells Heather about the huge legacy he leaves behind, and why setting goals was the most important lesson from Sir Michael's success story. A High Court judge has ordered Oranga Tamariki to pay $108,000 to a former foster family. This is the case of Moana where OT tried to remove the girl because she is Māori and the foster parents are Pakeha. Plus, the Huddle debates whether medication should always be checked by two pharmacists before it's dispensed after the tragic death of a baby. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pressure's on Oranga Tamariki - as it announces it won't release more details around bootcamp reoffending. The Ministry for Children initially confirmed teens in the pilot military-style academy programme had offended again. It's since said releasing information could've been harmful to those involved. Green MP Tamatha Paul says the agency is shifting the goalposts. "That is one of the measures of success for the pilot, so I think it's really important that we do know." Paul claims Oranga Tamariki doesn't want to publish the data because the programme's been a failure. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Thursday, 17 July 2025, shocker price hike. Food prices have gone up by 4.6 percent. Economist Brad Olsen says the cost of some food groups including mince makes for grim shopping. Scientists are warning of the huge rise of people getting hospitalised for campylobacter. But Food Safety's Vincent Arbuckle says the researchers are scaremongering and people are well aware of the dangers of raw chicken. Green MP Tamatha Paul makes her debut on Drive, saying Oranga Tamariki is refusing to publish reoffending rates for boot camp participants to hide its failure. Plus, with all the talk about rates caps - the Huddle debates whether we should also have a cap for tax rises. Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight on The Huddle, former Green MP Gareth Hughes and lawyer and political commentator Liam Hehir joined in on a discussion about the following issues of the day - and more! Oranga Tamariki won't publish the reoffending rates of future youth bootcamp participants. Shouldn't we know those rates to know whether the camps are working? Scientists have warned campylobacter is on the rise, and want warning labels on chicken. What do we make of this? With all the discussion on rates caps, do we also need to think about a cap for tax rise too? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's fears broadening citizen's arrest powers could endanger young people. The Government has proposed allowing the arrests at all times of day - and wants to clarify when reasonable force can be applied. Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said it could allow children to be restrained until police arrive. Chief Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad says citizen's arrests won't prevent stealing and could lead to violence. "A number of agencies that have given advice to the Government on this - police, justice, Oranga Tamariki, Crown Law, among others - they've highlighted this risk." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A watchful eye is on the $41 million allocated to upskill staff working in youth care homes. Minister for Children Karen Chhour has announced the boost, which aims to improve support to kids in care. It follows a review of Oranga Tamariki in 2023 that found parts of the workforce relatively unskilled. Chief Children's Commissioner Claire Achmad told Mike Hosking she'll be watching how the money's used to ensure good outcomes for young people. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New research paints a stark picture of the consequences of Oranga Tamariki's system not helping young Māori enough. An Independent Children's Monitor report shows tamariki and rangatahi Māori are over-represented - and being let down. They make up two-thirds of those in care and more than three-quarters in youth justice custody. Monitor Chief Executive Arran Jones says young Māori adults involved in the system as children are nine times more likely to have lived in emergency housing. "This report makes the case for that investment approach - putting the right people in place at the earliest time." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oranga Tamariki is facing complaints from the New Zealand Security Association over its new contract to safeguard children's homes. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

Oranga Tamariki has cut spending on services to met budget targets without properly assessing what the fall out would be for vulnerable children and their families, including more tamariki in care, increased wait lists and distress. That is some of the finding of an Auditor General's investigation into how the Ministry manages and awards contracts for services for whanau in need. Children's Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Auditor General has issued a scathing assessment of Oranga Tamariki's procurement and contracting practices last year. Auditor-General John Ryan spoke to Corin Dann.

A group representing 250 social service providers says Oranga Tamariki lost sight of the children and whānau it is there to serve. Te Pai Ora chief executive Belinda Himiona spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

In today's episode, the Auditor General has issued a scathing assessment of Oranga Tamariki's procurement and contracting practices last year, after a day of uncertainty, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's sending a team to Istanbul for peace talks with a Russian delegation, the next America's Cup will be hosted by the Italian city of Naples. America's Cup Defender Team New Zealand chief executive, Grant Dalton, made the announcement on Thursday night, the Black Ferns will face off against defending Pacific Four champions Canada this Saturday, we have our weekly Political Panel and Kerry-Anne Walsh brings us the latest from Australia.

Questions to Ministers Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Women: Does she stand by her answer to oral question No. 4 yesterday, in relation to the Equal Pay Amendment Bill, that "I always advocate for women, and I have been consulted on and advised on this legislation from the outset"; if so, on what date was she first consulted regarding the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety's Cabinet paper reviewing pay equity policy settings? SUZE REDMAYNE to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the Government's fiscal position? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: When did she first consider the pay equity changes for inclusion in Budget 2025, and what modelling did she receive, if any, on the number of workers likely to be affected by the Equal Pay Amendment Bill? KAHURANGI CARTER to the Minister for Children: E tautoko ana ia i ana korero me ana mahi katoa? Does she stand by all of her statements and actions? LAURA McCLURE to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made regarding key performance indicators for Oranga Tamariki? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Does she stand by all of her answers to oral question No. 11 on 6 May 2025? GRANT McCALLUM to the Minister of Education: What recent announcements has she made? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: Does she stand by her statement, "our priority is building a strong economy to reduce the cost of living, support more people into work and lift incomes for women to help them and their families out of hardship"; if so, how does the Equal Pay Amendment Bill contribute to lifting the incomes of women? SAM UFFINDELL to the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality: What recent announcements has she made to boost New Zealand as an international travel destination? LAN PHAM to the Minister for the Environment: Does she consider that she has been a strong advocate for environmental protection in the Government's decisions? RYAN HAMILTON to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: What updates can he provide on New Zealand Music Month? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Does she stand by her statement that "women should be paid for their work"; if so, does she consider that the Equal Pay Amendment Bill will make it harder for hundreds of thousands of women to be paid fairly for their work?

Questions to Ministers NANCY LU to the Minister of Finance: What are the Government's fiscal intentions and objectives? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? DAN BIDOIS to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has he made regarding rapid transit in Auckland? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Minister for Women: Does she agree with the statement on the Ministry for Women website that "The majority (80%) of the gender pay gap is driven by harder to measure factors like conscious and unconscious bias and differences in choices and behaviours"; if so, how has this shaped her advocacy? CARL BATES to the Minister of Justice: How is the Government progressing with its plan to restore law and order? Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon BARBARA EDMONDS to the Minister of Finance: Does she agree with Associate Finance Minister David Seymour that "I actually think that Brooke van Velden has saved the taxpayer billions. She's saved the Budget for the Government"; if so, what are the savings from the changes to pay equity? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister for Mental Health: What recent announcement has he made about supporting Women's Refuge through the Mental Health and Addiction Innovation Fund? CHLÖE SWARBRICK to the Prime Minister: E tautoko ana ia i nga korero me nga mahi katoa a tona Kawanatanga? Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon JAN TINETTI to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Does she agree with Thomas Coughlan of the New Zealand Herald, who said about her changes to pay equity legislation that "It is deeply wrong that Parliament can take away that work in a matter of hours"; if not, why not? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Minister for Children: Does she stand by her statement that "increased reporting also shows that people feel like they can report their concerns to Oranga Tamariki or other government agencies and that these reports are being captured and actioned"? TANYA UNKOVICH to the Minister for Regional Development: What reports has he seen on regional development in Northland?

Oranga Tamariki is pinning its hopes on a $70 million IT upgrade, as alerts about children being abused surge. Phil Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.

The Children's Minister says good progress is being made on reports coming into Oranga Tamariki. The Ministry for Children estimates it's seen a 45% increase in reports of concern in the year to April. Karen Chhour says the number of children in unsafe households is alarming but it's positive seeing more people reporting them. She told Mike Hosking the urgency of each report can vary, with several potentially applying to the same child. Chhour says not all reports need Oranga Tamariki intervention, with lower urgency cases better dealt with by community resources. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Questions to Ministers JAMIE ARBUCKLE to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions? Hon WILLIE JACKSON to the Minister for Maori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti: Have Maori-Crown relations improved since the coalition Government took office? KATIE NIMON to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has she seen on the fiscal policy response to economic shocks? Hon WILLOW-JEAN PRIME to the Minister of Education: Is she committed to the purpose of the Education and Training Act 2020 that establishes and regulates an education system that "honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supports Maori-Crown relationships"; if so, how? Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER to the Minister of Transport: Does he accept evidence that a person struck by a vehicle travelling at 30 km/h has a 90 percent chance of surviving, dropping to only 20 percent if hit at 50 km/h; if so, will he listen to the pleas from school principals, aged care residents, and communities who want to keep safer speeds of 30 km/h? Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN to the Minister for Disability Issues: Does she stand by her statement, "That is why we are prioritising disabled people, their families, and carers"; if so, is she confident that all Government agencies are acting in the best interests of disabled people? TAKUTA FERRIS to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: What assurances can he provide, if any, that his proposed fisheries reforms will not diminish Maori customary gathering rights or the ability of New Zealanders to gather kai moana to feed their whanau? TAMATHA PAUL to the Minister of Housing: Can he guarantee that cutting a net 673 roles at Kainga Ora will not impact any front-line services, including those working with the Ministry of Social Development to place people in public housing? Dr CARLOS CHEUNG to the Minister of Housing: What reports has he seen on the housing market? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister of Education: What evidence, if any, does she have that supports the removal of the relationship and sexuality education guidelines? MILES ANDERSON to the Associate Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made about the Ashburton Bridge? Dr PARMJEET PARMAR to the Minister for Children: What recent announcements has she made regarding a safety-first approach for Oranga Tamariki?

Three Te Pāti Māori MPs, Hana Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, and Rawiri Waititi, did not attend the Privileges Committee over their contempt of the House, following their haka in Parliament protesting the Treaty Principles Bill. The party instead are planning on holding their own hearing regarding the matter. Privileges Committee chairwoman Judith Collins, called the no-show “unprecedented” and has given the MPs “one final chance” to attend the hearing. For our weekly catch up, News and Editorial Director and Monday Wire Host, Joel, spoke to Te Pāti Māori's Takutai Kemp about the party's action, and why they are going about the hearing in their own manner. We also spoke about the repeal of Section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act passing its final reading. But first, we discussed the party not attending the Privileges Committee.

Questions to Ministers SCOTT WILLIS to the Minister of Climate Change: What was the rationale behind the decision to give Tiwai Point aluminium smelter an extra $37 million per year subsidy of carbon credits? Dr VANESSA WEENINK to the Minister of Health: What recent reports has he seen on the Government's health targets? Hon CARMEL SEPULONI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions? LAURA McCLURE to the Minister for Children: What action is the Government taking to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children is at the forefront of decision making for Oranga Tamariki? RICARDO MENÉNDEZ MARCH to the Minister of Health: Is the primary healthcare sector structured to serve the public good; if not, why not? CARL BATES to the Minister of Police: What recent reports has he seen on the public's perception of safety? Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL to the Minister of Health: Are workforce shortages in regional hospitals limiting access to health services; if so, when will normal services be restored? JENNY MARCROFT to the Minister for Resources: What reports has he received on the resources sector? Hon GINNY ANDERSEN to the Associate Minister of Police: Does she stand by the Minister of Police's statement on the coalition commitment to deliver 500 front-line police by 27 November 2025, "It's aspirational"; if not, why not? MARIAMENO KAPA-KINGI to the Minister for Children: Does she think provisions in the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill allowing the use of physical force against children in State care breach the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to be protected from all forms of physical violence? SHANAN HALBERT to the Minister for Universities: Does he expect increases in tertiary sector enrolment levels, given the unemployment rate is 5.1 percent? PAULO GARCIA to the Minister for Building and Construction: What is the Government doing to support tradies?

"Grievous" privacy breaches have been revealed at Oranga Tamariki, including a staff member who took a screenshot of a mother's file and shared it with the child's father, leading to the mother suffering further physical abuse. Phil Pennington spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The number of reports of concern about at-risk children made to Oranga Tamariki jumped more than a third last year. Lauren Crimp has more.

Once again a report has found the state agency meant to protect our children is failing to meet minimum standards of care for tamariki and rangatahi. 507 children and young people were abused or neglected while in the care of Oranga Tamariki over the past year according to a report by the Independent Childrens Monitor. That's up on the year before. A shortage of approved non-whanau care givers also means a growing number of children are being parked up in motels under the care of social workers until placements can be found. 176 tamariki under Oranga Tamariki's care spent a total of 2648 nights in motels. Chief Executive of Aroturuki Tamariki Arran Jones spoke to Lisa Owen.