Quick Exit

Ngāti Porou, Ngā Puhi, Whakatohea

As a freelance investigative journalist and photographer, and with lived experience of state intervention having been adopted and raised outside of his natural whānau, Mr Smale has covered the stories of children in state custody as a Māori social issue. Since 2016 Mr Smale has collected stories from survivors and published stories in long-form articles, as well as analysis of various aspects. He is currently working on a documentary series on the subject and is a PhD candidate in history, researching the origins and impacts on Māori. Mr Smale will reflect on his work to date and the themes arising from the voices of survivors and expert and primary evidence obtained from his investigations, focussing on the state’s behaviour, international comparisons for indigenous children in state custody, and the impact on Māori in particular.

Presentation starts at 00:00:25

Statement of Aaron Smale

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