“We know, for example, about instances in which people with known care and protection histories, or previous convictions for violence or sexual abuse, have been able to adopt overseas,” she said.
“They have then been able to bring those children and young people back to New Zealand where they have been neglected, abused, or exploited.”
In 2020, Joseph Auga Matamata was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty on 13 charges of dealing in slaves and 10 of trafficking in persons.
It was New Zealand’s first prosecution for dual offences of people trafficking and slavery.
McKee referenced Matamata’s case, which involved three adopted boys from Samoa, as the “tip of the iceberg”.
The suspension, implemented through today’s law change in the House under urgency, would expire by July 1, 2027 at the latest but McKee said she wanted to introduce a bill as a “long-term solution”.
There would be some international adoption pathways retained, including exemptions for countries where McKee was “satisfied” children were sufficiently protected.
“International surrogacy arrangements will continue to be recognised by the NZ Family Court and ministerial discretion will be able to be exercised in individual cases for citizenship and immigration,” she said.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he spoke with McKee on Friday about the amendments.
He said Labour would support the bill through to the Committee of the Whole House stage but would reserve its judgment on whether to support the bill into law.
Adam Pearse is the deputy political editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
