Heather du Plessis-Allan blasted for saying “we bash our kids”

Without pointing out Māori are the main offenders

After sharing a clip today of Heather du Plessis-Allan’s recent on-air editorial about child abuse in New Zealand, backlash erupted across X. Not because of the subject matter, but because of the language she used.

In her commentary, Heather delivered a passionate plea about New Zealand’s disturbing number of child abuse cases in recent months. What struck a nerve with many wasn’t the statistics or the call for change. It was her repeated use of the word “we.”

“We just bash our babies all the time in this country, apparently,” she said.
“At the rate that we’re bashing our kids, this should be an election issue…”

To many New Zealanders, that “we” felt like an accusation against the entire population. The vast majority of whom have never and would never harm a child.

Commenters were quick to point this out.

Roxie 🏡🇳🇿🦄🇮🇱 (@Roxie753749)
“Who are the ‘we’ who bash their babies in this country? Suddenly it's a collective we, not us and them like usual!”

StopForumSpam (@StopForumSpam)
“‘We’… I don't know why she said ‘we’… I've never bashed a baby. The ‘royal we’ is right out of order here. What she should have offered was a pointing finger at who ‘we’ is.”

The elephant in the room, which du Plessis-Allan conveniently left out, is the demographic reality behind these cases. Māori children are disproportionately the victims of serious abuse and death at the hands of their own whānau. These aren't opinions. They’re facts found in coronial inquests, Oranga Tamariki reports, and repeated media investigations.

However, the moment someone touches on the topic, it gets softened. Sanitised. Generalised into “we” as if the whole country is collectively responsible for what is, in fact, a pattern within a specific subset of households. Māori households.

Yes, Heather is right to be appalled at the brutal treatment of children in New Zealand. Yes, the suppression orders need reform. But if we’re going to have an honest conversation, then honesty has to apply to who is committing these acts, not just that they’re happening.

Turning it into “we” dilutes responsibility, blurs reality, and avoids the difficult questions. In doing so, Heather undermined her own message.

Because it’s not New Zealand bashing its kids.

It’s certain New Zealanders, and we all know who.