As the repeal of section 7AA prepares to undergo its second reading in parliament, a group of care experienced people have outlined what the change will mean for them in a powerful new video campaign.

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour introduced her bill to repeal the section earlier this year, which requires the ministry to consider whakapapa and the Treaty of Waitangi when making decisions about children and young people in state care.

VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai has been advocating for care experienced tamariki since 2017, and National Care Experienced Lead Tupua Urlich (Ngāti Kahungungu) who appears in the campaign is adamant that the bill should not proceed.

“The harm against Māori, which was highlighted in the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry, is being repeated. Removing the only reference to Te Tiriti o Waitangi from the Oranga Tamariki Act is cynical in the context of a system which has caused so much harm to Māori over generations.”

As concern continues to mount ahead of the bill’s second reading next month, a number of other care-experienced people and their tamariki have also decided to join Urlich by amplifying their voices.

Twelve appear in the 45 second video that centres around what rangatahi would be forced to do should the repeal go ahead, and how they "shouldn' t have to”.

VOYCE - Whakarongo Mai CEO Tracie Shipton says with the select committee having reported majority party support for the bill, now is more important than ever to speak out.

“The repeal would be a step backwards for our tamariki and the sector.”

“The examples cited as reasons for repealing this legislation are down to poor practice, poor training, guidance and support rather than poor legislation.”

Each line of script within the new video is spoken by a different care-experienced person or their tamariki - sharing phrases like “I shouldn’t be denied access to my culture and heritage”, “I shouldn’t have to wonder where I belong”, and “I shouldn’t have to fight to find out.”

“The care experienced young voices speak to the core of this bill. Its future should be decided by those affected by it, and they say that 7AA must stay.”

Urlich says the bill’s second reading is the last chance to save 7AA from repeal, and believes the government’s apology and recognition of abuse in care is at odds with what the bill stands for.

“On the one hand the government has acknowledged the harm that it inflicted as well as the intergenerational trauma and the alienation from culture and whakapapa; and on the other hand it’s trying to remove the very thing that could help to stop it from happening in the future.”

With Māori more disproportionately impacted by the care system both Shipton and Urlich say that 7AA is the only accountability mechanism that holds the CEO of Oranga Tamariki to account for reducing disparity for Māori.

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