1. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Maori Affairs
What role is Te Puni Kōkiri playing in developing policy under this Government?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Māori Affairs) Link to this
Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Te Puni Kōkiri plays an instrumental role across the whole spectrum of policy. It does so by looking at the benefits for iwi, hapū, and Māori whānui.
Given that the principal duties of Te Puni Kōkiri are to promote increases in Māori achievement across key social and economic areas, and to be leading and influencing Government policy as it pertains to Māori, what inputs has Te Puni Kōkiri had in the development of the Whānau Ora policy?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
Obviously, in Whānau Ora it has to have a large involvement. A Māori kaupapa philosophy is being developed here, and Te Puni Kōkiri is the best department, perhaps, to put major input into it.
As the Minister of Māori Affairs was part of the Cabinet committee discussing Whānau Ora, was it clear at the outset that Whānau Ora was to be a programme designed to develop a new approach to Māori well-being; if so, when was it decided that such an approach was race-based, not needs-based, and would therefore have to be extended to all New Zealanders, as the Prime Minister has announced?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
Unfortunately, we had to make that clear when Labour raised that issue. It is like all Māori policies. We are an inclusive people. Our policies are for Māori but everybody else as well, so they are there.
Which of the Prime Minister’s statements about Whānau Ora is Te Puni Kōkiri using when providing him with advice: the Prime Minister’s 16 February statement that Whānau Ora will be for all New Zealanders and that it must be based on need, not race, or his 19 February statement that it is designed around a Māori kaupapa and is largely for Māori?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
The Whānau Ora programme is based on culture and on need. That is the way it is. Many programmes delivered by organisations such as Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust are actually for Māori, but they have a 41 percent Pākehā usage—
Hon Clayton Cosgrove
Mr SPEAKERDoes he as the Minister of Māori Affairs agree with Tariana Turia, who said the Whānau Ora Taskforce report contains “Māori solutions to Māori problems”, and does he stand by his statement that a more “courageous” Government would allow Māori-only access to Whānau Ora funding; if not, why not?
In light of reports that the Minister for Social Development and Employment has not ruled out Te Puni Kōkiri being the agency for the implementation of Whānau Ora, does he believe his ministry has the capability, capacity, and experience to undertake such a role, given that his colleague Tariana Turia has said up to a billion dollars should be available to be spent?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
I am not sure what you mean by your question. Are you saying that because it deals with Māori ideology it is inferior? Let me assure you that that is the connotation that comes across. The answer is that it is a fitting department to lead Whānau Ora.
Hon Tariana TuriaNo, it did not, I say to Tariana Turia. This question was about the fact that it has not been ruled out as the lead agency, and asked whether it has the capability and capacity. That is a straight question, to which the Minister could have said yes.
No, I do not think we need to take this matter any further. I first come back to the Minister. When answering questions, the Minister must not say “You are implying this” or “You are implying that”, because I can assure the honourable Minister that the Speaker is not implying anything. To come now to the point of order of the Hon Annette King, I think in the final part of the Minister’s answer he said he believed that Te Puni Kōkiri was capable of, and the appropriate agency to be, leading the development, and therefore I think he answered the member’s question.