Minister for Social Development announces funding restoration for Oranga Tamariki---Ministry for Vulnerable Children

outside the Wellington Oranga Tamariki office, the Minister for Social Development, imnofox, flanked by the Deputy Prime Minister, silicon_based_life, spoke to journalists

"Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. Thank you all for attending. Today I am proud to announce that this progressive coalition government will be restoring the $250 million of funding for Oranga Tamariki that was cut by the previous New Zealand First Minister for Social Development last term." starts imnofox.

"Aotearoa New Zealand unfortunately has some of the worst statistics for child abuse in the developed world, and it's a real national shame. 14% of youth in Aotearoa have witnessed adults physically hurting children. In 2015 alone, 6,500 instanced of common and serious assaults on children were recorded, and another 2,000 instances of sexual assaults on children. 20% of girls and 9% of boys in New Zealand report unwanted sexual touching or being forced to do sexual acts. That is inexcusable, and we need to have the infrastructure in place to prevent these shocking acts to happen, to protect our tamariki, and to support them going forward." continues the Minister.

"$250 million makes up 29% of Oranga Tamariki's total budget, and makes up the entirety of the funding for early and intensive intervention. Early intervention is the key to ensuring safe and secure futures for all children. Safe from harm and abuse. It was a grievous mistake for the last government, and my predecessors as Minister of Social Development and Minister of Finance, to cut this necessary funding for the protection of our children. There really is no cost too high for protecting our tamariki." finishes the Minister. "I now welcome the Deputy Prime Minister to say a few words."

"I think the Social Development Minister just about summed it all up but yes, this is incredibly important funding. New Zealand has some of the most vulnerable children in the world and I was incredibly surprised to see the funding cuts last term - considering they were set at that rate by the Key government in 2016. The level of funding cut was just too much to justify, and after an analysis of exactly where the funding was allocated in the Oranga Tamariki budget, I was forced to conclude that something had been seriously deprived within the department's functional model. It gives me immense satisfaction to be able to stand here today and tell New Zealand, we are fixing this problem, we are restoring the funding, and we are caring about the children of this country. It's simply a no-brainer, this particular action." stated silicon.