Child friendly city forum in Napier attracts children's commissioner

Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft speaking in Hawke's Bay two years ago. He speaks at a Child Friendly City Forum in Napier next Friday. Photo / File

Children's Commissioner and former Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft will attend the Napier Pilot City Trust's second Child Friendly City Forum in Napier next Friday.

The forum will be held in the MTG Century Theatre on November 20, and trust secretary and former high school principal Mark Cleary says the Commissioner, the Principal Youth Court Judge from 2001 to 2016, will be sharing a vision of a Child Friendly City, a concept of United Nations global children's wellbeing arm Unicef introduced to New Zealand 14 years ago.

He has attended previous Pilot City Trust activities, delivering the Robson Lecture in the Napier City Council chambers, during the trust's Unity Week events in 2012.

Chief legal officer of Oranga Tamariki Legal Services, Erin Judge, will also speak during the forum, as will youth of Napier.

Cleary confirmed Labour Party deputy leader Kelvin Davis, who bypassed the opportunity to be Deputy Prime Minister to take on the role of Minister for Children in the new Cabinet, had also been invited but it was today not yet known if he would be available.

The first forum last year was addressed by former Minister for Children – Oranga Tamariki Tracey Martin, no longer in charge, having lost her place in Parliament in coalition partner New Zealand First's demise at the general election.

Cleary said: "In our quest to make our city kinder and fairer, the Napier Pilot City Trust believes that Napier should declare itself a Child-Rangatahi Friendly City. Exactly what this means should be determined by all of us, with a special emphasis on the views of our children and young people at our forum."

The trust and Unicef goal are to have children clearly considered in all aspects of council policy.

The concept, first mooted for Napier by trust stalwart and veteran social justice campaigner Pat Magill, is supported by Mayor Kirsten Wise, with councillor Richard McGrath appointed in the last year to the portfolio and now meeting regularly with the trust, with district Maori representatives Te Taiwhenua o Te Whanganui ā Orotū also supporting the kaupapa.

The forum will start at 1pm on Friday next week and finish with the annual presentation of the Pilot City Trust Awards.