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TVNZ TV1 HOLMES: Susan Wood interviewed Lucy Lawless and Roger McClay about the 'Safe and Sound' Appeal/Campaign. [6min 35sec] (9/4/00) Provided by Richard Kloosterboer from New Zealand.
Susan Wood:
...big star here [NZ] and the US. On the small screen she battles evil. Now
though she found a new cause, one that has galvanized this nation [NZ]. It's the
way some of us treat our children, she wants to stop the abuse; the hitting; the
ill-treatment of our kids. So Xena, or Lucy Lawless, has lend her name to a
major new initiative, to provide specialized centres to cater for victims of
child abuse. All the agencies working together to treat and prevent abuse under
one roof at Starship Childrens Hospital. Lucy Lawless is with us now as is Roger
McClay, Commissioner for Children. Good evening to you both.
Lucy Lawless:
Good evening!
Roger McClay: Good
evening!
SW:
How did this all start with you Lucy?
LL: Well,
I and a number of other concerned people, called up the Starship Foundation and
the Commisioner of Children to ask how we could help and through the Starship
Foundation we got together on Sunday and what we thought was just a one hour
meeting turned out to be a six hour, very excited, debate and we've had
remarkable results since the Herald article, the phones haven't stopped ringing.
Today we were given a pledge by TVNZ of 1 Milion Dollars [NZ] of free airtime to
extend the 'Safe and Sound Campaign'. And the 'Safe and Sound Campaign' is
the most concrete way people can help at this stage. What the Starship
Foundation and Skycity have set up is a campaign to establish 'multi-agency
centres' up and down the country, we wanna help[ kids NOW! And what these
'multi-agency centres' will do is put the police, child abuse medical
specialists and psychiatrists-sorry, counsillors under one roof, so that kids
aren't pushed from pillar to post, so that kids are getting service right
now. Say if a kid comes in at 5pm on a ZFriday, they don't have to wait
'til Monday morning at 9am when the office opens to receive help. So that
they're examined by medical specialists and then in the very next room is the
next step in their recovery. We need to stop childrens pain right now and
stop them re-offending or at least reliving, right now.
SW: In
one place, you go to one place and it will stop. Now, this is the beginning,
isn't it? To get this set up.
LL:
It is the beginning, but it is the most concrete way that we can help at the
moment. And we need people now to get behind the children of New Zealand, abused
children need regular kiwis to get out there and support and if you can
fundraise...so if there is anyway you can help, get these multi-agency centres
set up, will be doing a great thing for our children and for our future.
SW:
Roger McClay, this must be music to your ears.
RM: Oh
it's magnificent! And I'd want to say on behalf of New Zealand's Children and to
Lucy, thank you very much for speaking out. You've kinda said what thousands of other New Zealanders have been trying to say
and indeed have been writing to me and ringing me up and saying. You're a person
who's known, like other people. All Blacks, some of you, your colleagues, Susan
yourself, it's quite magnificent. But there is also the little old people who live in the byways of
New Zealand, who've reminded me this is a magnificent country and we do want to
care for our children, and this is a very tangible way. One Million Dollars from
TVNZ is quite magnificent and I hope that TV3 and advertisers and others in a
position to show their care and concern for our children would join in with Lucy
and say, 'Us too, we care for our children. We're not going to let this abuse go on
for one more day.' I kinda feel that our society can solve this, I really
do because people do feel the issues and with the kind of leadership and example
of you two, its just magnificent. And New Zealand children will say thank
you very much, whether they know this is happening or not.
SW:
What are you hoping you can bring to this, Lucy?
LL:
I guess if I can in any way lend my profile, such as it is or energy to help the
services that deal with abused children. Just that it will help those agencies,
because they are stretched in every direction, they're doing magnificent
jobs. You know, if you think it is hard for us to read one of those
articles detailing the demise of some of these beautiful babies. Imagine
how it must be to have 60 on your caseload to be dealing with that,
everyday. And these people need help, so kiwis are caring people and right
now you can do something. Lets get behind the 'Safe and Sound Campaign' and lets
extend a hand to these children, because they're drowning.
SW: When
do you think the first centre will be up and running?
LL:
We're hoping to get it set up by January. But if that money comes in, why not
next month? You know, these agencies are in place, it's been well researched.
These people have been working for two years to prepare for the setting up of
the 'multi-agency centres'. And we need to get them in every city.
SW:
And we need to get the 'James Whakaruru's' to the centre. How do we do that?
LL:
What is it? A change in the consciousness. I think New Zealand is ready to
change, you know. And it is like I said, it is just the first step in the
rehabilitation of all of us. Just upskilling in our child rearing skills. We
need to get out, we need to tell them that we care, that's all. Because we do, I
know everybody is crying into their cereal or their newspaper.
SW:
Lucy Lawless thank you. I know you worked all day and have come here specially
to talk about this...
END TRANSCRIPT
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