Ko te Wā Whakawhiti – The Māori-led inquiry (Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency)

Ko te Wā Whakawhiti is a significant and comprehensive report focusing on historical and current cases of state removal of tamariki Māori from their whānau.

While the events in Heretaunga in Mei 2019 prompted the start of the Māori inquiry, we acknowledge Ko te Wā Whakawhiti describes issues that have been felt by whānau Māori for generations.

The key themes, messages and findings of the report are:

  • whānau want 'by Māori, with Māori, for Māori' services and solutions, with an emphasis on the need for these services and solutions to be collectively, and locally, driven
  • a stronger commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi is needed
  • whānau need better, more robust support and adequate funding from the government to thrive as whānau, best demonstrated through whānau-centred wrap-around support – some of the whānau interviewed in the inquiry noted Māori service providers were better positioned to give them the support they needed
  • hapū and iwi connections to whānau are critical for supporting whānau to thrive.

Ko te Wā Whakawhiti – a Māori inquiry into Oranga Tamariki (PDF, 69.5 MB)

Oranga Tamariki response to Ko te Wā Whakawhiti

Published: August 6, 2020