On Monday, hundreds of demonstrators assembled outside the New Zealand Parliament in Wellington to protest the proposed repeal of section 7AA of the Children’s and Young People’s Well-being Act. This provision mandates the Ministry for Children to improve outcomes for Māori children and uphold the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The protesters, prominently including members of the Ngāpuhi iwi who travelled from Northland, presented their formal opposition at a select committee meeting outside Parliament.
Section 7AA, introduced in 2019, obligates the Ministry for Children to pursue policies that reduce disparities for Māori children. The proposal for its repeal emerged from the Coalition Agreement between the New Zealand National Party and ACT New Zealand in November 2023, and was formally brought to Parliament by Minister for Children Karen Chhour on May 13, 2024. Chhour argues that section 7AA promotes divisive practices that have negatively impacted caregivers, emphasizing that the repeal would ensure decisions are “child-centric.”
Detractors, such as Ngāpuhi iwi, posit that repealing this section violates the Treaty of Waitangi, potentially harming vulnerable Māori children. Public submissions, including those from Ngāpuhi iwi and organizations like Save the Children New Zealand and the New Zealand Law Society, call for the retention of section 7AA. These submissions highlight a perceived lack of comprehensive analysis on the repeal’s downstream effects, asserting significant risks to Māori children’s welfare.
Law academics like Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown have also criticized Prime Minister Chris Luxon’s stance on the repeal. Fitzmaurice-Brown contends that framing the debate as “culture versus safety” is racist and overlooks the cultural competency of Māori caregivers. His detailed opposition is featured in a televised critique on Twitter and an article in the June issue of the Māori Law Review.
For further details on the protest and surrounding commentary, you can access the full article on JURIST.