Labour repeats call for abuse group after baby's death

Police say the head injury that killed two-month-old Hinekawa Topia was not accidental. Photo / Supplied

Labour has reiterated its call for a cross-party approach to fighting child abuse following the death of two-month-old Hinekawa Topia.

Hinekawa, a triplet, died in Wanganui Hospital on Thursday after being taken there by her parents, Tiffany Topia and Tom McGregor.

A post mortem examination revealed the cause of death to be a head injury, which police did not consider accidental.

Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Forlong, who is leading the homicide inquiry, said people should not "leap to conclusions and start pointing the finger prematurely".

Hinekawa had been staying in different homes with members of her extended family before she died, and Mr Forlong said there were a number of people police would be speaking to.

Labour's social development spokeswoman Jacinda Ardern said she did not want to comment specifically on Hinekawa's case while the investigation was continuing, but speaking broadly about the issue of child abuse, she reiterated Labour's call for more cooperation across Parliament to tackle the problem.

"We know that our child abuse stats in New Zealand are appalling, we know we have an enormous issue that we need to be dealing with. I don't believe we need another inquiry to tell us what we already know, we need action."

The Government announced last year that it would set up a ministerial committee to look at the issue of child poverty, and Ms Ardern said with poverty and abuse being so inter-linked, the group could be an opportunity for parties to work together.

"We've asked the Government to allow us to be a part of that group ... as yet the Government hasn't taken us up on that offer but we'll keep making it," Ms Ardern said.