1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Bread Children's Commissioner is launching a campaign against child homicide. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: The Commissioner has written a letter directly to the country's 3 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: one point two to three million children and asking adults 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: to sign it. Doctor Clair Auchmand is the Children's Commissioner 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: and joins me, Now, good evening, right, good to have 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: you on the show. So what was the what's driving 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: this and particularly at this time of year, is this 8 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: a bad time of year for child abuse and child homicide? 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 2: Today I've launched a new nationwide campaign that's called Dear Children, 10 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 2: and it is a message to all children in our 11 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: country that they have a right to be safe. And 12 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: I'm calling on all adults in New Zealand to actually 13 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 2: protect that right for children and to do that fiercely, 14 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: because the reality is that not all children are growing 15 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: up safe in our country. Children, often very young, they 16 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: are dying by homicide in our country. It shouldn't be 17 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 2: this way, and we shouldn't let it happen in world. 18 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: In fact we want is the message that I'm sending 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,559 Speaker 2: through this campaign. And in terms of the timing, Liane, 20 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: you asked about why now that's intentional. Last year, over 21 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: the Christmas and New Year period, two children were killed 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: by homicide, and we have seen throughout the year more 23 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 2: children die in this way. We know that this time 24 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: of year, coming up to Christmas and across the New 25 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 2: Year and holidays, can be a really stressful time. And 26 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: so I'm reminding all people in New Zealand to do 27 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 2: more to look out for children in their communities. 28 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: Claire, who are you talking to specifically, because you know 29 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: parents who abuse, violently abuse their children and who kill 30 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: their children. I don't imagine we'll be reading a letter 31 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: from the Children's Commissioner. Is this to the neighbors who 32 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: are listening to abuse? 33 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 2: Well, actually, this message is for all adults in New 34 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:57,279 Speaker 2: Zealand because we need a national conversation about this difficult truth, 35 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: which is that not all children are growing up safe 36 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: in our country and we need a national commitment and 37 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 2: that starts with change at the grassroots level, flax roots 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 2: in our communities. As you say, for neighbors, family members, 39 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 2: community members, to look out for children, to be alongside 40 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: families and far no, especially when they're facing stress, to 41 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:25,359 Speaker 2: actually make it okay and normal, to for help, for help. 42 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,119 Speaker 1: I don't think anyone's going to disagree with you. It's 43 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: awful our reputation and our statistics. But we've had this 44 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: conversation so many times and nothing seems to change. 45 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 2: Well, we have attempted to have this conversation in the past, Ryan, 46 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: But what I have noticed in my work as Children's 47 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: Commissioner when I meet communities around the country and when 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 2: I share with them, for example, the reality that on 49 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 2: average every four to five weeks, one child in our 50 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: country is killed on average by homicide, and that over 51 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,040 Speaker 2: the past decade, one hundred and thirteen children have been 52 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 2: killed by Homo saide. When I share that reality with 53 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 2: people and communities up and down the country, I've noticed 54 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: that actually they're quite shocked about that. And so that's 55 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 2: why this campaign Dear Children is first and foremost about 56 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 2: bringing awareness to this problem, because collectively we first of 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: all need to understand it is a problem, and then 58 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: I hope we can really work together on that wikle 59 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: of change to prevent this from hap. 60 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: What is your message, Not that they will be listening 61 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: to this, but to any parent right now who's violently 62 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,119 Speaker 1: abusing their child, what do you want to say to them? 63 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 2: My message to all adults in New Zealand is that 64 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 2: all children have a right to be safe, that children 65 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 2: should be safe and protected in all circumstances. 66 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: You're sorry, interrupted if. 67 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: You're facing stress right now is a parent and thinking 68 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 2: that you are going to turn to violence, there is 69 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: another way. I encourage you to reach out for help, 70 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 2: because help is there and we must get more okay 71 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: with asking for help and with offering help. 72 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: Okay, I think some people listening might be wondering why 73 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: you're addressing it to all parents. You know, is there 74 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: something wrong with saying to a parent who's abusing their 75 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: child stop it? 76 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 2: I really absolutely not. We need to be alongside all 77 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 2: parents to and including parents who are struggling to offer 78 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: that help and support. But also we need a whole 79 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 2: of society culture change around this issue. So that's why 80 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: I'm putting this message out to all New Zealand adults. 81 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 2: Because if we are serious about making a real change 82 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: on becoming a country where every child is growing up safe, 83 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: then that is going to take each and every one 84 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 2: of us. This is preventable and we can all play 85 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: our parts. So I encourage all people to go to 86 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 2: the dedicated campaign website there Children dot co dot NZB 87 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,159 Speaker 2: show their support bought by signing this letter with me 88 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: and be part of this change together. 89 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,719 Speaker 1: Doctor clear Akman, who's the Children's Commissioner, appreciate your time 90 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: Tonight 91 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 2: For more from Hither Duplessy, Allen Drive listen live to 92 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 2: news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 93 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.