Government ignores Mick Brown at its peril
National Party Social Services spokeswoman Katherine Rich says the Government is ignoring the 2000 report of Judge Mick
Brown on CYFS at its, and our children's, peril.
"Judge Brown was adamant then that the unallocated case list should be reduced to zero within six months.
"Things have got worse for children, not better," says Mrs Rich commenting on new figures that show the unallocated case
list at CYFS has swelled to 6000.
"That's absolutely and totally unacceptable.
"Each and every one of those cases, if left too long, has the potential to escalate. "And it's outrageous that the
Minister in charge of the service, Ruth Dyson, doesn't have anything to say about it. She has previously commented on
this issue and then suddenly it's being described as a 'departmental issue'?
"Quite obviously the minister isn't handling the portfolio well and New Zealand's most vulnerable children are
suffering.
"If she can't handle the job she should hand it over to a Minister who can," says Mrs Rich.