Return Maori Babies being abused and neglected in Care in Australia

Kiaora Koutou,

My name is Karla Epiha. I returned home to NZ last year to nurse my Mum after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

I had to choose to leave my children with a non family member with whom I have been fighting for for several years now. They were removed from me for Drink driving, something I have punished myself for over and over again.

I worked with their father and the department for over 2 years doing drug n alcohol courses, parenting courses, random alcohol tests etc. I went to every psychologist, every AOD counselor there was in this Central qld town of Gladstone.

It became too unbearable for their father and after we shifted to Brisbane to run a scaffold company we parted as I had to return home for mum and he remained in Australia.

Mum passed away last June and I relapsed with alcohol and put myself into a treatment centre in Christchurch.

I attend NA now and have decided that it is best I remain in NZ where I belong.

I have been in recovery since late last year and have decided to study mental health and well being here at Ara in Christchurch.

I am currently still fighting with Qld as they applied to keep the children in Jan 2019. This has broken my heart. I have been in touch with the Ministry of OT. I have emailed the International State Liason officer who called up Australian authorities to ask the children be transferred home. They denied it saying I had chosen to leave Australia and that the children are more withdrawn now etc.

They have been to 14 different homes in care, none of them being culturally aware or indigenous. They are being raised now by a single Australian woman, who cut their hair off and removed their Greenstones their nan gave them because she believes Agnes Waters, where they live is not a "cultural place".

I have tried many many different avenues. I am having a hui next week with the CEO of Te Putahi tanga o Te Waipounamu.

She is an amazing woman.

The thing I keep bumping into is a hurdle of funding to make the children NZ Citizens. The cost is $700 per child. This has now been paid...Yay....

Me and their father spent thousands on lawyers before running out of funding.

If I have no luck soon representing myself and my babies, I will ask my brother to mortgage my late mums house for another lawyer.

I do not want to return to a country I do not want to live in. I would love for my babies to come home where their other 2 brothers are here with me.

I am asking for any donations at this stage to help pay for lawyers as I am currently on a single mums benefit going to study and focus on my recovery.

I have never done this before and am so grateful for anybody with any ideas or any koha for representation for my children

My whole life is consumed by this, but I will not give up on my babies. I have a voice and will continue to go the extra mile for them for the rest of my life if need be.

Please help if you can.

I also have documents to prove all of this so you know it is true.

Am so appreciative for your time to read my story.

Nga mihi

Karla Epiha