10. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) Link to this
to the Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment
Does she agree with all the recommendations proposed by the Whānau Ora task force in the report released to her last week; if so, when does she intend to release the report?
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
The Government is currently considering all the recommendations of the report, and the report will be released once it has gone through the appropriate process.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the Minister believe that the integrity of Māori Party policy regarding Whānau Ora will be compromised when the concept isimplemented by the Government, or had she always intended that there be a one-size-fits-all approach to Whānau Ora?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
No, I do not believe that the integrity of the Whānau Ora programme will be compromised, because it was always believed that this particular concept could be translated into any community within Aotearoa. I have been very clear about that, right from the beginning.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
I did not think integrity was in the Māori Party’s vocabulary. Does the Minister still believe that she retains support from the Ministers of Health and Pacific Island Affairs to initiate her original Whānau Ora policy, and will this support extend to a preferred-provider pathway to implement Whānau Ora?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
I am very happy to report to the House that all of the Ministers involved in this particular project have been supportive, and that it is my firm belief that it will be rolled out as soon as possible.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Tēna koe, Mr Speaker. Kia ora tātou e te Whare. Has the Minister heard any reports about how Māori have received the concept of Whānau Ora?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
I have been advised that over 600 people attended the 22 hui held throughout the country by the task force to discuss Whānau Ora, and that there were over 100 submissions. Overall, the responses indicated enormous enthusiasm.
Hon Parekura Horomia Link to this
Does she agree with the Prime Minister, who likened Whānau Ora to a waterbed and suggested “If you push down on one side, if you don’t address the problems, it’s going to rise on the other side.”; if not, why not?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
I am hoping that the bed has just the Prime Minister in it and not the member who asked the question, but I think—[ Interruption]
Mr SPEAKERI apologise to the Minister. The House has enjoyed a bit of fun on this, but I cannot hear the Minister, and I think it is only reasonable that I should be able to. I ask members to please be a little more reasonable with the noise.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
When was the Minister informed that her comments to Q+A suggesting that Whānau Ora was guaranteed $1 billion in funding were incorrect, given that yesterday the Prime Minister confirmed that her desired funding was clearly not possible as the bulk of the funding will need to come from baseline budgets?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
There was never any agreement by the Government that it would hand over $1.2 billion. In fact, that amount was suggested at the economic conference that was held in Auckland—that 1 percent of the Budget might be a fair amount to look at changing the way in which services are provided in the social and health sector.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Does the Minister know of any organisations that will be able to run with Whānau Ora?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
There are too many to mention, but what I will be supporting is an expression of interest process that will be rolled out, seeking expressions of interest from those providers that are interested.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
I seek leave to table a document of a preferred-provider pathway model that was presented to the Minister, so that the House can have access to it.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
For the purposes of the House, could the Minister explain why Whānau Ora is needed?
Hon TARIANA TURIA Link to this
Because the results for w’anau have been disappointing because of the poor performance across the State sector. There have been inconsistencies, fragmentation, overlaps in service delivery, duplication of effort, and, frequently, confusion and frustration for those who have sought assistance.