January 2025
Student Christian Movement Aotearoa (SCMA)
Tēnā koutou Social Services and Community Committee:
We are writing on behalf of the Student Christian Movement Aotearoa, a progressive Christian group active within tertiary institutions across the Motu, to express our deep misgivings about the Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Amendment Bill.
We recommend that the committee reject this Bill and that the government pursue evidence-based alternatives that will not cause further harm.
As Christians, we believe strongly in restorative processes and in evidence-based policy. The proposals in this bill are neither.
Ngā manaakitanga,
Michael Toy
publictheologian@scm.org.nz
Public Theologian
Student Christian Movement Aotearoa