Children need a champion

I’d like to applaud former Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills on his article “Did we offend the wrong people?” (March 12), which clearly outlined issues with the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill. Like Dr Wills and most others in the children’s sector, we are incredibly concerned about the proposed legislation – both the consultation process and its implications for our most vulnerable children.

Given that a key objective is to “‘strengthen advocacy for children’s and young people’s issues”, it is perplexing that children and young people have not been consulted to determine how best the system could be designed to promote their rights and interests.

The overhaul is also ill-timed, given that the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has not completed its investigation.

We believe what’s proposed is overly complex for children to navigate and there is a real risk that complaints made by very vulnerable families, tamariki and rangatahi may fall through the cracks.

The proposed governing board is unlikely to achieve the same impact in terms of public advocacy without the mana and status of a Children’s Commissioner. Having a