Tough action needed on abuse

Four years ago Oriwa Kemp was involved in the most horrific abuse cases in New Zealand's sorry history.

Kemp was part of the prolonged cruelty and harrowing assault of 3-year-old Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie - which led to Nia's violent death at the hands of her stepfather and his brother.

Kemp was the girlfriend of one of the murderers, the brother Michael Curtis.

In 2009 she was jailed for her part in Nia's assault. In December last year she was released.

Kemp is now pregnant with twins, according to her Facebook page. Social media networks are fired up with horror.

But former head of Women's Refuge, Rotorua's Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, who presented submissions during the inquest into Nia's death, said Kemp had just as much a right to have a child as everyone else: "I hope she has learned from her mistakes".

Let's remind ourselves of those mistakes. During the final months in Nia's life, Kemp abused Nia by throwing shoes and balls at her, calling her ugly, was involved in forcing the toddler outside in the cold and into a sandpit naked.

She was also present when Nia was put on a clothesline that was spun around until she fell.

Kemp's choice in men was Curtis who together with his brother, kicked Nia in the head so violently that she never woke up.

It is time to stop pussy footing around the issue of child abuse.

Last month it was reported that about 15 per cent of Kiwi children were born at risk of abuse, and that New Zealand Police have more than 6000 child abuse cases open.

Child, Youth and Family head of operations Marama Wiki said that courts could also grant orders for the removal of babies at birth when there are safety concerns.

Are there not enough concerns about Oriwa Kemp?

After the inquest this year into Nia's death, Coroner Dr Wallace Bain set forth recommendations, including identifying child abuse victims, notifying authorities and the compulsory monitoring of young children until they are five.

The PC brigade said it would be an invasion of privacy.

Privacy is a small sacrifice to make to take steps to stop the abuse and murder of children.

The government should take a proper look at Dr Bain's recommendations. Parenting is a difficult job. A compulsory five-year licence test makes good sense.

Dr Bain also recommended making the reporting of child abuse easier, via an 0800 number. Shame this 0800 number is not yet set up, because surely a whole nation should call it to protect Kemp's unborn twins.

Oriwa Kemp may have the legal right to have a child. But she has no moral right. Until the laws about child abuse are changed, there will be more Nia Glassies.

And for those children who don't end up dead like Nia, there will be more untold suffering behind closed doors.