Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: Break culture of silence

I have always felt that leaving the future direction of our country to 120 people, of varying intelligence sitting in Wellington, was a recipe for disaster. They just can't or won't work collaboratively. The various political parties' responses to the Minister of Social Welfare Paula Bennett's White Paper is a prime example.

The White Paper is a genuine attempt by the government to reduce the deaths, and long-term harm caused by abuse, to vulnerable children in our country.

Ten thousand submissions from a whole range of people including members of the public, health professionals, community and provider groups informed the White Paper. But already the Minister is being accused of not going far enough.

Poverty and lack of specific strategies to address the disproportionate number of Maori children's deaths are being highlighted as flaws in the Paper. Rather than focus on what the report doesn't say, I would prefer its recommendations get picked up immediately. Anyone at any time can make further recommendations in their own area of expertise. So poverty and Maori responsiveness actions should not get ignored.

I was reminded recently that babies are not born bad. I never thought they were. But watching the Darklands programme on TV this week, that detailed the short life of Nia Glassie, killed by her mother's boyfriend and his brother, I did need reminding. I looked at these two gormless men as they stood in the dock during their trial thinking what "a wasted space" they were. But I remembered my friend Henare O'Keefe, one of this year's New Zealanders of the Year, who spoke here in Rotorua recently. He truly believes there are no babies born bad.

Babies are born without hate and malice. They are born to inherit a life full of love and to develop their unlimited potential. The Curtis brothers would have been born unblemished and with that potential too. They weren't born bad. In the Darklands programme we got an inkling of what they endured in their early years.

What they saw and experienced growing up, some would say was the worst form of child abuse. They are survivors themselves of a horrific upbringing, if that's what it could be called. That also got me wondering about their father Wiremu Curtis senior's upbringing.

I don't believe he was born bad either. So we shouldn't be fooled into thinking the abuse of Maori children just started in the last 20 to 30 years. Every Maori aged over 60 years can name the families known back then who regularly brutalised their women and children.

Pakeha families had their share of abusers too. But as Maori make up half the child abuse statistics they now need to lift their game considerably. Maori are fond of quoting "tamariki are taonga". And they are. But apparently some are still considered disposable.

I continue to look for courageous Maori leadership to rise to the occasion and lead the charge on dealing to the abusers of their children. It has been absent for the last 50 years. Maori leaders lack the courage and commitment to take the required action. The protection of Maori children is the biggest problem facing Maori leaders at this time. Not your damn water.

Yet it could be addressed immediately if only the willingness to act was present. Forget Treaty settlements. They are important too but not while children continue to live in hell and die by the hands of abusive family members. It's about prioritising. The death of a Maori child means that whanau, hapu and iwi have failed. Their first duty is to provide children with their birthright. A loving, safe and strong cultural environment in which to grow up.

The opportunity to fulfil their destiny. When a Maori child is abused and beaten, the abuser is beating up on that child's whakapapa. It's as if the child's tupuna, their kuia and koro and all those that have gone before are being brutalised and assaulted. Consider the uproar if a kuia or koro were battered and assaulted by a violent adult, whether drunk, stoned or cold sober. Yet that's in essence what's being allowed to happen.

A Maori child has their whanau that's true, but they also share whakapapa with a hapu and iwi. It is these voices that continue to remain silent. The respected hapu and iwi members who don't get involved. They know what's going on and continue to remain silent.

Bring on the day when Maori leaders throughout the country will let it be known "from this day every Maori child, within our tribal boundaries, comes under our protection. This applies to our own children and to those of other iwi who reside within our tribal boundaries". They should go further and clearly spell out what a transgressor can expect should the warning be ignored. Tribal leaders need to step up now. How many more children will die while they continue to ponder? Let leadership be seen and heard. Let the children live.