Oranga Tamariki has been controversial since it was established in . Some of the acts committed under its guidance have generated deserved criticism. It has been the face of children being uplifted from biological families and placed in foster care. But is O.T. entirely at fault?
No. O.T. is simply a pawn in a bigger battle over social development that is being waged by the coalition. The Social Investment Model that National is now quietly putting into place under Minister for Social Development Louise Upston, is powered by big data. It seeks to identify which children are likely to cost the state further down the path in terms of social investment. The data is used to determine how much a child is likely to cost per a set of parameters set by M.S.D., which also determine when to uplift the child(ren) in question.
As with nearly every other facet of governance, especially under the 6th National-led Government, neoliberal market economics and the philosophy that the state is uniformly bad are lurking in the background. Neoliberalism favours financial austerity and the right wing parties in New Zealand relentlessly champion it. Even when experienced economists such as Shamubeel Eaqub, Max Rashbrooke and Bernard Hickey are warning of the need to change our philosophical outlook on taxation, A.C.T., National and increasingly N.Z. First are clamping down on welfare. And in doing so, just at a time when Oranga Tamariki needs to be viewed as an investment, it is ultimately being treated as an expenditure item.
In time we will see where O.T. ends up, and what becomes of the children in its care. In the interim it is worthwhile looking at the organization through the eyes of those who have had contact with it, or are current employees. They will see its strengths and know its weaknesses, but will also be the ones who best understand the impact of the coming cuts.
All to keep a few bean counters and the right wing coalition happy.
Leftist Kiwi Writes 