Oranga Tamariki deputy head Hoani Lambert has resigned - chief executive

Monday, 14 December 2020

The former deputy head of Oranga Tamariki, Hoani Lambert believes the call for no children requiring being uplifted should be supported. (Video first published in October 2020)

This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

Grainne Moss has confirmed Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive Hoani Lambert has resigned, but she herself is not stepping down.

Oranga Tamariki’s chief executive Grainne Moss.

Moss has been speaking to media after appearing before the Waitangi Tribunal as chief executive of Oranga Tamariki.

Asked how she justifies keeping her job, Moss says she believes she has the full confidence of her team.

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Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive Hoani Lambert has resigned, chief executive Grainne Moss has confirmed.

She says she's looking forward to continuing the work of Oranga Tamariki.

She believes the country's institutions have a structural racism problem - as well as the country at large.

'I think that society has a structural racism problem, and all of our institutions have a structural racism problem … the concessions were made, they were well considered.'

Oranga Tamariki has been privileged to partner with a range of iwi, she says.

'It means a commitment to working together differently, to get better outcomes from tamariki.'

Moss says no one from the leadership team has raised concerns about her and she did not think structural racism was the same as individual racism.

She says every situation is dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

'We all need to lead the change together'.

She says she has had a very constructive relationship with Children's Minister Kelvin Davis so far.

She was expected to speak to media about 5pm but cross-examination continued at the Tribunal for another half hour.

Moss last month refused to step down following a submission to the Tribunal's urgent inquiry into Oranga Tamariki in which she admitted the Children's ministry was yet to eliminate structural racism, or fully adopt the recommendations of a 1998 report.

Minister for Children Kelvin Davis had refused to express confidence in her leadership.

Moss has been under pressure since a Newsroom investigation into attempts by social workers to remove a week-old baby from its mother in Hawke's Bay sparked multiple inquiries and reports.

More to come…