by Mike Bain

Children as young as six are being adopted from overseas and subjected to forced labor, abuse, and exploitation in New Zealand.

Social worker Kris Teikamata, who worked with survivors from 2019 to 2024, described the extreme trauma these children endured, including physical abuse, coercion, and sexual violence.

Speaking on Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report programme on Monday, Teikamata detailed how children were promised a better life but were instead forced into domestic servitude.

Many were made to wake up early to clean, cook, and do household chores before attending school, only to return to more labor.

Once they reached working age, they were sent to factories in Auckland and Wellington, with their wages controlled by their adoptive families.

Despite the severity of these cases, abusive families were able to continue adopting children due to lax regulations.

A briefing to ministers revealed that individuals with criminal histories or child welfare concerns had successfully adopted children through overseas courts, bypassing New Zealand’s checks.

Adoption Action researcher Anne Else criticized the outdated Adoption Act 1955, calling for a complete overhaul of the legislation. She emphasized that while authorities acknowledge the need for reform, progress has been slow.

Immigration Minister Erica Stanford acknowledged concerns about trafficking through international adoption, stating that multiple ministers were working on solutions. A recent meeting between New Zealand and Samoan officials focused on aligning policies and improving safeguards for children.

The fate of a proposed modern slavery law in New Zealand is unclear, with the  Government undecided on whether to move ahead with a plan developed under its Labour predecessor.

The potential for further delays on the issue has further concerned advocacy groups and experts, who were also critical of Labour’s failure to get a bill across the line before the 2023 election.

In July 2023 the Labour government announced organisations with over $20 million in annual revenue would be required to publicly report on what they were doing to address exploitation risks in their operations and supply chains.

At the time, the then-government said it would take six months to draft the legislation, a timeline that could have allowed for its introduction to Parliament by the end of January 2024.

However, with Labour losing power at the  election and its National-led successor now reviewing its predecessor’s plans, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told media outlet Newsroom that Cabinet was “yet to make decisions” regarding the proposal.

The Ministry of Business of Innovation and Employment, tasked with drawing up the legislation, echoed van Velden’s remarks, and reported by Newsroom at the time: “Decisions on whether to progress proposed legislation to address modern slavery will be made by the new government in due course.”

The issue has sparked wider discussions about forced adoptions and the need for stronger protections. Advocacy groups argue that New Zealand must implement stricter adoption regulations to prevent further exploitation.

Several NGOs in New Zealand are actively working to combat child trafficking and exploitation, including cases of forced labor through adoption.

• Child Rescue focuses on rescuing children from trafficking and exploitation. They operate in multiple countries, including New Zealand, and provide rehabilitation and reintegration support for survivors.
• Hagar NZ works to prevent modern slavery and support survivors through education, awareness, and long-term care. They advocate for systemic changes to prevent trafficking and exploitation.

These organisations emphasise the need for stronger protections and legislative reforms to prevent further abuse.