Govt moves to safeguard our children at school – and to provide lunches – but victims of abuse will receive an apology
Our well-being is being fostered on many fronts in a raft of government initiatives announced over the past 24 hours.
The perpetrators of serious violent or sexual offending are excluded from that policy thrust. They will fall foul of the Cabinet’s agreement to modify the Three Strikes Bill by:
- Lowering the qualifying sentence threshold so that more offenders will be captured by the regime; and
- Reactivating warnings from the previous regime where they meet this threshold.
Similarly, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden has announced that the Department of Internal Affairs is taking action to better protect children and young people from harmful child offenders working in schools.
At first blush, we wondered why harmful child offenders would be working in schools. It turns out that van Velden was announcing an initiative designed to protect students “by removing potential offenders from the school environment as soon as possible.”
That raises further questions: giving the heave-ho to “potential” offenders is the sort of thing that is apt to spur the Council for Civil Liberties into action.
At second blush, we mused on why this announcement had not been made by the Minister of Education.
Presumably it’s because the Department of Internal Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Zealand Teaching Council to improve information sharing arrangements about individuals working in schools who are under investigation for offences relating to child sex abuse material.
Why this department should be signing the Memorandum of Understanding and the nature of its authority in these matters remains unclear.
Whatever the reason, the current process requires the department to notify the New Zealand Police who then contact the Teaching Council. The change means the department will share information directly with the Teaching Council so it can immediately intervene.
Van Velden said:
“The safety of children and young people is a top priority for this Government. This is a common sense action to protect students by removing potential offenders from the school environment as soon as possible.”
The change also allows the department to share intelligence on trends in child exploitation that could assist in investigations affecting schools, as well as the Teaching Council sharing information with the Department about educators under investigation for digital activities that endanger children.
“This agreement will be effective immediately and sets the foundation for ongoing cooperation between the two organisations to improve the safety of children and young people.”
The department will also continue to notify the New Zealand Police directly.
Van Velden’s announcement about what is being done to protect children was followed by news of how the Government intends feeding them while reducing costs to taxpayers.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour said the government has worked with businesses to transform the school lunch programme, using government buying power, and generating supply chain efficiencies to realise over $130m of annual cost savings.
“By leveraging private sector expertise from companies like Compass Group, Gilmours, and over 17 food manufacturers and suppliers, we are setting a precedent for the government working with businesses to achieve better results.
“The programme will deliver nutritious hot and cold meals, such as butter chicken curry, chicken katsu, lasagne, chicken pasta salad and wraps. These meals will cost $3 each. All students in year 0 to 8 will receive the same sized meals (240 grams) and older students will receive larger lunches (at least 300g) – which will include additional items such as fruit, yoghurt or muesli bars.”
“Under the Labour-led government, lunches cost up to $8.68 per student.
“If the previous government had set up the programme this way, over $800 million of taxpayer’s funds would have been saved over the past five years.
That takes care of children’s wellbeing in future.
The Government has also confirmed further details about the national apology to survivors of abuse in care in the past.
This statement was brought to us by Erica Stanford with the glorious title of Minister responsible for the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission’s Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions.
Is there room for any other information on her office door after the signwriter has slapped that lot on to it?
The Minister’s news is that on November 12 Parliament will apologise on behalf of the nation for the failures of the State across many governments.
The Prime Minister will deliver the national apology in the House of Representatives at 11.30am. This will be followed by a statement from the Leader of the Opposition.
Proceedings will be streamed online and to concurrent events at Due Drop Events Centre in Auckland, Shed 6 in Wellington, and the Christchurch Town Hall. The apology will also screen on Parliament TV.
“This will be a very significant day for survivors which is why the Government is taking a trauma-informed approach throughout. We have structured the morning to ensure survivors feel supported to attend what is most meaningful to them.”
Well being support will be available at every location. This includes mental health nurses, Rongoā Māori providers, counsellors, social workers and abuse in care specialist care.
Well-being features in other announcements.
- Ensuring the well-being of Wellington ratepayers has encouraged the Minister of Local Government to appoint someone to ride shotgun at the Wellington City Council.
- The well-being of motorists is being promoted by the beginning of work on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance.
- The well being of farmers is the objective of two initiatives:
- The Government will move to add an amendment to the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill, to restrict councils’ ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazetting of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. This will give farmers the clarity they need around freshwater management, minimise inefficiencies and duplication for councils, and prevent unnecessary costs for ratepayers, Agriculture Minister McClay says.
- The Government says it intends providing certainty on discharge rules under section 70 of the Resource Management Act for primary producers, and councils – “enabling permitted discharge activities to be managed in a practical way”.
The well-being of waterways?
It’s better not to ask.
It’s better not to ask.
Latest from the Beehive
22 October 2024
The Government will move to add an amendment to the Resource Management Act Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, which will restrict councils’ ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazettal of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the government has worked with businesses to transform the school lunch programme, delivering for children and saving for taxpayers.
The Government has confirmed further details about the national apology to survivors of abuse in care.
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] is taking action to better protect children and young people from harmful child offenders working in schools.
The Government is listening to New Zealanders and Cabinet has agreed to recommend modifications to the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says.
21 October 2024
Work has kicked off on the Hawke’s Bay Expressway Road of National Significance (RoNS) as the Government continues to move at pace to deliver infrastructure that enables Kiwis and freight to get to where they want to go quickly and safely.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will be among world leaders travelling to Apia this week for a meeting of the 56-nation Commonwealth.
The Government has announced its intention to provide certainty on discharge rules under section 70 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) for primary producers, and councils – enabling permitted discharge activities to be managed in a practical way.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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