Te Pāti Māori has accused the government of being bereft of leadership and in a "state of paralysis" over its response to the murder of five-year-old Malachi Subecz.

An independent review yesterday identified "critical gaps" in the system where government agencies failed to protect the Te Puna boy, rendering him "an invisible child".

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the government should immediately get started on the full suite of recommendations from the independent panel. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone.

Report author Dame Karen Poutasi recommends 14 changes, nine of which the government fully accepts, including better information sharing and running regular awareness campaigns.

Officials have been tasked with investigating the remaining five recommendations - including mandatory reporting - and reporting back with advice next year.

"It's appropriate that we do take our time and that we do get this right," says Children's Minister Kelvin Davis.

Children's Minister Kelvin Davis says he wants to look at the Australian experience of mandatory reporting. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver.

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says the government lacks urgency and should immediately get started on the full suite of recommendations.

"They're not reviewing and doing. They just seem to stop in a state of paralysis," says Ngarewa-Packer.

"[Davis] is bereft of knowing where to take the agency [Oranga Tamariki]. They've become politically benign."

The report's key recommendation, which remains in limbo, is to legally require anyone tasked with child protection to report suspected child abuse.

Previous governments have considered and declined the idea due to fears that an influx of reports could lead to more children slipping through the cracks.

Davis yesterday told media he wants to look more closely at the Australian experience where reporting is compulsory to varying degrees across states.

"We'd like to see the evidence that it is working," Davis says.

But Ngarewa-Packer says the government could have been doing that research while waiting for the review to report back.

"Are you telling me that you haven't got a work programme that's already looking at solutions?

"Are you seriously telling me that we have a minister and an agency waiting for [a report] to drop down before they then go and react?"

ACT social development spokesperson Karen Chhour says people are tired of hearing the government apologise, and want action. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver.

ACT social development spokesperson Karen Chhour says most of the proposals are commonsense and should already be in place.

"People are sick of hearing that the government's sorry ... we've had recommendation after recommendation after recommendation. Enough is enough.

"Now we want to start seeing some outcomes and some action."

Chhour says she can't believe it's not already policy for Oranga Tamariki to vet all caregivers appointed to look after children if their parent is arrested.

"These are things that have been pointed out over and over again over the last few years."

But Chhour says she understands the need for more advice about mandatory reporting: "The last thing we want to do is add another layer of bureaucracy".

The National Party declined an interview request, but issued a statement from its children's spokesperson Harete Hipango.

"It is time for this government to stop talking and put in place some meaningful action that will improve the lives of children," says Hipango.

"Strong leadership and oversight of Oranga Tamariki is desperately needed to fix the dysfunction at the agency and prevent such a tragedy from happening again."

Hipango did not respond to questions about which recommendations National would pursue.

The Greens also declined to be interviewed, releasing a brief statement from its children's spokesperson, Jan Logie: "It is clear we have work to do to ensure our children are safe, and the Green Party will continue fighting for the best for our children and their whānau."

-Craig McCulloch/RNZ.