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Weekly Media Roundup

June 19, 2020 at 4:08 PM

RNZ: Oranga Tamariki social workers' te ao Māori knowledge questioned

There are concerns that universities are churning out social workers who have not been taught the skills to work well with Māori.

Last week, Children's Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft released a report revealing harrowing stories of Māori mothers experiences with social workers in the state care system.

The report was looking at how to keep Māori babies in the care of their whānau, as data showed Māori newborns were five times more likely to be taken in care than non-Māori.

Judge Becroft found that Māori mothers experienced unprofessional social work practice which he said was disappointing and causing harm.

Oranga Tamariki said its social workers worked hard in challenging and complex environments and were trained to understand colonisation and their Treaty of Waitangi responsibilities.

However, Massey University lecturer in social work Dr Paule Ruwhiu said university programmes lacked cultural capacity training.

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RNZ: War of words over claims of uplifts at Waitakere Hospital

A war of words has broken out over claims newborn babies from two Māori families were to be uplifted from an Auckland Hospital.

A Māori trust and a senior health board member say they stopped Oranga Tamariki taking two babies into state care at Waitakere Hospital on Friday morning.

Dozens of people gathered at the hospital after news of the alleged uplifts got out - but never eventuated.

And late on Friday afternoon Oranga Tamariki said that's because the babies were never going to be taken into care and claims that they were are incorrect.

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Stuff: Human barricade protesting baby uplifts at Waitākere Hospital

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Newshub: National MP Agnes Loheni's powerful speech calling for men to stand up against domestic violence

National MP Agnes Loheni has released a powerful statement calling for men to stand up against domestic violence after the brutal murder of a Hamilton mum.

Loheni was speaking about Crystal Lee-Selwyn, who was beaten to death with a paving stone by her former partner Rueben Paul Peeni last year.

"Yesterday I woke to the news that Reuben Paul Peeni was sentenced to life imprisonment for taking a brick and beating his partner's head in front of eight children - five of them her own," she said in a statement on Wednesday.

"I cannot quell my rage. And I cannot hold back the tears every time I think of her six-year-old son trying to protect his mother as she is beaten to death in front of him."

Loheni pointed to New Zealand's rate of women murdered by their partners - all too often in front of children. She questioned how this is acceptable and said she refuses to "stay in my lane".

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1 News: Grim statistics at forefront as elder abuse awareness week begins in New Zealand

Up to 10 per cent of people aged 65 and over experience some form of abuse in New Zealand.

The figure comes as the country marks the beginning of elder abuse awareness week.

Around 50 per cent experience financial abuse, where people fail to repay loans or simply take money or possessions.

But most cases are psychological, with elderly socially isolated, bullied and humiliated.

Hanny Naus of Age Concern says the majority of abuse comes from family members.

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The Spinoff: The UK plans to ban the ‘rough sex gone wrong’ defence. Should we follow?

With its use criticised in cases like Grace Millane’s, criminology lecturer Dr Samantha Keene outlines the many reasons why the ‘rough sex’ defence is so problematic. 

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RNZ: Royal Commission into abuse appoints fifth Commissioner

The Royal Commission investigating abuse in care has appointed its fifth Commissioner, following the shock resignation of its chair last year.

Lawyer Julia Steenson, who is of Ngāti Whātua and Waikato/Tainui descent, will take up the position this week.

She fills the role vacated by Judge Coral Shaw, who replaced Sir Anand Satyanand as chair when he left the high-level inquiry last year.

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Stuff: Sexual-abuse survivors encouraged to speak out as Royal Commission continues to investigate

Mike Ledingham, who was abused as a child by a Catholic priest, has renewed faith in the Royal Commission in charge of investigating abuse cases in state and faith-based care.

Ledingham and his brothers, Chris and Gerry first spoke out in 2002 about the sexual abuse they experiencedand, while he's still dealing with his demons, the 70 year old is encouraging other survivors to come forward.

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Stuff: The lasting toxic effects of former Catholic Marist brother Kevin Healy

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RNZ: New gun laws a win for campaigners, despite years to wait

A gun register may be delayed for three years, but Gun Control New Zealand is still claiming it as a victory.

New legislation passed yesterday paving the way for the register and a warning system to show if a licence holder is a fit and proper person.

The nationwide register won't come into force until 2023. But nonetheless it's a big win for gun control, says Otago University public health researcher and Gun Control NZ founder Hera Cook.

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Stuff: AUT 'toxic' culture claims: Harassment ignored at university for decades

Weeks after it came under fire for its handling of sexual harassment claims against a top Professor, AUT says it will hire an external legal expert to review its policies and practices.

But while AUT is promising to let staff have their say about how these complaints are handled, 20 current and former staff have told Stuff the issue has been long ignored. The culture at AUT is so bad, long-serving Professor Dame Marilyn Waring admitted she would never recommend women complain to the university – because it doesn’t understand what sexual harassment is.

Alison Mau reports.

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ODT: Most Kiwis just as productive working from home – Otago study

A University of Otago study has found almost three quarters of people were either just as or more productive working from home during lockdown.

The business school study of 2595 New Zealanders working from home during lockdown found 73% of people were equally or more productive compared to working in the office.

Most people wanted to continue to work from home at least part of the time post lockdown (89%).

"A balance is what we want — the best of both worlds for both the individual and the organisation,’’   researcher Paula O’Kane said yesterday.

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Stuff: Man jailed for 15 years 'chilling' attack that killed Hamilton mum

With a paving brick, Rueben Paul Peeni inflicted 13 blows to his former partner's head in front of three young children at the couple's Hamilton home.

Two of the boys aged 14 and six tried to stop the father as he taunted and continued assaulting Crystal Lee-Selwyn, ultimately leading to her death.

The 90-second assault was captured on audio in the police call that the 38-year-old mother of eight had made, trying to get help moments before the fatal Saturday evening last November.

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Stuff: Father ashamed about continuing cycle of family violence

Regan Kaa-Tuari's partner is not safe from his abuse – even when he's behind bars.

The mother of three has been subjected to years of torment. It has even continued through a prison telephone.

The attacks started several years ago, and worsened when she fell pregnant to another man while Kaa-Tuari was in jail.

But court reports reveal a sinister childhood, which fostered a culture of violence towards women since he was a boy.

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NZ Herald: Bay man jailed for 'depraved' child sex crimes on infant daughter

Warning: graphic content

A Bay of Plenty man who repeatedly raped his young daughter and shared similar offending online has been described as "depraved" and a high risk to the community after an "appalling" case of child sex crime.

The man, who has name suppression, was jailed after facing 30 charges ranging from knowingly making objectional material to rape of a child. The charges related to offences against his daughter, aged under 3 at the time.

The man appeared in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday and was sentenced to preventive detention with a minimum period of 10 years' imprisonment.

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Stuff: Twenty-nine hours of terror for woman kidnapped by ex-partner

Burnt, bruised and a knife pressed to her throat, Natasha Greer could manage only one word – no.

No, she didn't want to resume her relationship with her ex-boyfriend.

No, she didn't want to be kidnapped and tortured for 29 hours.

No, she didn't want to die.

But Luke Paul Richards didn't listen.

Richards, 35, was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court on Thursday to two years, eight months behind bars, and convicted of assault, kidnapping and wounding with intent.

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Stuff: Stalking victim left 'terrified' by threats and online harassment

A casual conversation with a stranger on a night out turned into a nightmare for a Christchurch woman when he started harassing and stalking her for months afterwards.

“His intense psychological abuse destroyed and violated my whole life and trust towards others,” says the 32-year-old. “I wish I never met him.”

It is more than 10 months since the night Timothy Braid, 31, introduced himself to her, but his victim is still coming to terms with all that's happened since.

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Category: News Media