New Children’s Commissioner appointed

Social Development and Employment Minister Carmel Sepuloni has announced Judge Frances Eivers’ appointment as the new Children’s Commissioner.

Judge Eivers, who is currently a District Court Judge in Manukau, will take up the role on 1 November 2021. She has been appointed for two years.

The Children’s Commissioner is an independent Crown Entity and advocates for the interests, rights and wellbeing of children and young people.

“Judge Eivers has extensive experience in the rangatahi courts, as well as practising law both in New Zealand and internationally,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“She has a strong focus on youth and her experience has given her a deep understanding of the issues facing tamariki and of related legal frameworks.

“Judge Eivers was born in Kawerau and grew up in Te Teko. She is Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato. Her background gives her the ability, and credibility, to walk in two worlds: te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā.

“I’m very pleased to appoint Judge Eivers to the role at this time of change, and I am sure she will do an excellent job approaching the role in a careful, considered and thoughtful manner.

“The Office of the Children’s Commissioner is about to undergo significant change, with monitoring activities under the Oranga Tamariki Act transferring to the Independent Children’s Monitor. This will allow the Commissioner to focus entirely on the critical role of advocating for our tamariki and rangatahi.

“I am sure Judge Eivers will ensure the Office smoothly transitions through this period of change while continuing to deliver on the advocacy role.

“I also want to acknowledge the fantastic job of the outgoing Commissioner, Judge Andrew Becroft. Since 2016, he has worked tirelessly on behalf of our children and young people and the lives of many young people are better because of his work,” said Carmel Sepuloni.

Nā te Minita mō Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora, nā Carmel Sepuloni i pānui kua whakatūrangatia e Kaiwhakawā Frances Eivers hei Kaikōmihana hou mō ngā Tamariki.

He Kaiwhakawā ā-Rohe ki Manukau a Kaiwhakawā Eivers ināianei, ā, hei te 1 o Whiringa ā-rangi 2021 ka tīmata ia. Ka tū ia mō te rua tau.
Ko te tūranga a Te Kaikōmihana mō ngā Tamariki he hinonga Karauna motuhake e hāpai ana i ngā hiahia, i ngā matatika, i te oranganui o ngā tamariki me ngā rangatahi.

“He pūkenga rau ō Kaiwhakawā Eivers i roto i ngā kōti rangatahi me ngā mahi o te ture ki Aotearoa, ki te ao whānui,” te kī a Carmel Sepuloni.

“He kaha tōna arotahinga ki te rangatahi, ā, nā tōna wheako i hohonu ai tōna mōhiotanga ki ngā take a ngā tamariki me ngā āhuatanga o te ture.

“I whānau mai a Kaiwhakawā Eivers ki Kawerau, ā, i whakatupuria ia ki Te Teko. Nō Ngāti Maniapoto me Waikato ia. Mā ēnei āhuatanga e taea ai, e māia ai hoki ia ki te hīkoi ki roto i ngā ao e rua: te ao Māori me te ao Pākehā.

“Harikoa ana au ki te whakatū i a Kaiwhakawā Eivers ki tēnei tūranga i ēnei wā hurihuri, me taku whakapono atu ka hiranga ana mahi mā te āta whiriwhiri i ngā āhuatanga katoa.

“E hurihia nuitia ana te Tari o te Kaikōmihana mō ngā Tamariki, ā, ko ngā mahi arotake i raro i te ture Oranga Tamariki ka hoatu ki te Kaiarotake Tamariki. Ka wātea te Kaikōmihana ki te arotahi pū ki te mahi hāpai mō ā tātou tamariki, rangatahi hoki.

“E whakapae ana au ka ārahina e Kaiwhakawā Eivers tōna Tari kia ngāwari tēnei huringa me te ū tonu ki tana mahi hāpai.

“Me taku maioha ki te Kaikōmihana e wehe ana, ki a Kaiwhakawā Andrew Becroft. Nō te tau 2016 i whakapaua e ia ōna kaha mō ā tātou tamariki, rangatahi hoki, ā, kua ora nui te tini me te mano o ēnei rangatahi i runga anō i āna mahi rangatira,” te kī a Carmel Sepuloni.

Her Honour Judge Frances Eivers was appointed as a District Court Judge in 2009, and has worked in the Family, Youth and General jurisdictions in Manukau, South Auckland, and the Greater Auckland region. Prior to this, she was a private practice lawyer in New Zealand and London, with a focus on Family, Youth, and Criminal law.

Judge Eivers is Lead Judge at Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Manurewa, Papakura and Pukekohe and is a Support Judge at Pasifika Courts Auckland and Mangere, Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Ōrākei and Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Hoani Waititi. She is also a member of the District Court Kaupapa Māori Advisory Group.

Judge Eivers has held governance roles as a member and Chair of the Sacred Heart College Board of Trustees and Chairperson of the Sacred Heart College Kapahaka Whānau group (a body that supports Māori students at the college).

Judge Eivers will resign from her role as Chair of the Sacred Heart College Board of Trustees in order to take up the position of Children’s Commissioner.

I whakatūria e Honore Kaiwhakawā Frances Eivers ki te Kōti ā-Rohe i te tau 2009, ā, i mahi ia i roto i te Whānau, Rangatahi me ngā Take Whānui ki Manukau, te tonga o Tāmaki Makaurau, ki te rohe whānui o Tāmaki Makaurau. I mua i tēnei, he rōia takitahi ia ki Aotearoa me Rānana e arotahi ana ki te ture Whānau, Rangatahi me Taihara.

Ko Kaiwhakawā Eivers te Kaiwhakawā Matua ki Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Manurewa, Papakura me Pukekohe, ā, he Kaiwhakawā Tautoko ki ngā Kōti Pasifika o Tāmaki, o Mangere hoki, ki Te Kooti Rangatahi ki Ōrākei, ki Te Kooti Rangatahi hoki ki Hoani Waititi. He mema hoki ia nō te District Court Kaupapa Māori Advisory Group.

Kua tūria e Kaiwhakawā Eivers hei mema mana whakahaere, Tiamana hoki mō te Poari o Sacred Heart College, me te Tiamana o te rōpū whānau o te Kapa haka o Sacred Heart College (he rōpū e tautoko ana i ngā tauira Māori ki te kāreti).

Ka rīhaina a Kaiwhakawā Eivers i tana tūranga hei Tiamana o te Poari o Sacred Heart College kia whāia e ia te tūranga hou o Te Kaikōmihana mō ngā Tamariki.