Let’s see if “blood on their hands” MP might be mollified by outcome of Shane Reti’s meeting with iwi health leaders
Shannan Halbert, a fellow who was dumped as a Labour MP by a majority of Northcote voters at the 2023 general election, returned to Parliament as a list MP last month in the wake of Kelvin Davis’ retirement. He took his seat just in time to fulminate against the passage of the Pae Ora (Disestablishment of Māori Health Authority) Amendment Bill under urgency.
Far from alone in denouncing the government, and echoing the concerns that have been expressed by many supporters of race-based health funding and administration, Halbert said the bill’s enactment “returns Māori to disproportionate harm”.
He paid tribute to all of the health practitioners who had fought to establish an independent voice for Māori in the structures of a health system that wasn’t working for them.
When I return to my marae at Moawhango, I want to go back and tell them that I’ve done better for them by serving in this House. Today some in this House will have to go back to their marae to tell them that they are returning their whānau back to a system where our people die seven years earlier than their non-Māori counterparts.
The blood of their tūpuna will stain their hands forever.
It’s far too soon to get a measure of the Māori death toll that can reasonably be ascribed to the government’s legislation.
But Halbert – dare we suggest it? – might have been a tad hyperbolic.
Health Minister Shane Reti today said he was encouraged by a significant meeting with Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards in Christchurch.
The meeting heralded a new way forward to achieving improved outcomes for Māori health, he said.
He had welcomed the opportunity to speak with, and listen to, leaders from Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards (IMPB) from around the country as the Government charts a new direction.
The discussion had a specific focus on key areas such as the impact of the recent legislative changes (the changes against which Halbert and his colleagues had railed) and the role of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee, which would be be retained and powered up.
Ways for Māori to work with Health New Zealand had also been discussed, along with the pause on locality planning, the future of commissioning services, and the timing of changes to Hauora Māori contracts.
In that space, and to ensure continuity to the Hauora Māori provider network, existing contracts will be rolled over for 1-year.
Budget 22 contracts up for renewal this year will also be extended for 1-year.
Given that breathing space, in the next financial year, I expect IMPBs to continue to prepare for readiness toward the financial year 2025/26.
Shane Reti’s statement can be found in the latest batch of announcements posted on the government’s official website:
He paid tribute to all of the health practitioners who had fought to establish an independent voice for Māori in the structures of a health system that wasn’t working for them.
When I return to my marae at Moawhango, I want to go back and tell them that I’ve done better for them by serving in this House. Today some in this House will have to go back to their marae to tell them that they are returning their whānau back to a system where our people die seven years earlier than their non-Māori counterparts.
The blood of their tūpuna will stain their hands forever.
It’s far too soon to get a measure of the Māori death toll that can reasonably be ascribed to the government’s legislation.
But Halbert – dare we suggest it? – might have been a tad hyperbolic.
Health Minister Shane Reti today said he was encouraged by a significant meeting with Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards in Christchurch.
The meeting heralded a new way forward to achieving improved outcomes for Māori health, he said.
He had welcomed the opportunity to speak with, and listen to, leaders from Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards (IMPB) from around the country as the Government charts a new direction.
The discussion had a specific focus on key areas such as the impact of the recent legislative changes (the changes against which Halbert and his colleagues had railed) and the role of the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee, which would be be retained and powered up.
Ways for Māori to work with Health New Zealand had also been discussed, along with the pause on locality planning, the future of commissioning services, and the timing of changes to Hauora Māori contracts.
In that space, and to ensure continuity to the Hauora Māori provider network, existing contracts will be rolled over for 1-year.
Budget 22 contracts up for renewal this year will also be extended for 1-year.
Given that breathing space, in the next financial year, I expect IMPBs to continue to prepare for readiness toward the financial year 2025/26.
Shane Reti’s statement can be found in the latest batch of announcements posted on the government’s official website:
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Shane Reti gave a pointer to the role of Māori in his plans: he said the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee would be a key independent Māori advisor to him as the Minister of Health.
It would play a leading role in overseeing system-wide performance, providing insights and monitoring to improve how the system improves Māori health outcomes.
The Iwi-Māori Partnership Boards – as the bodies closer to homes and communities with specific legislative functions – had a big role, too (“they’re the ones best positioned to understand and represent the specific needs of their communities”).
Reti said:
“This Government will do what Pae Ora and the previous government would not. IMPBs will be facilitated to do more, including playing an important role in monitoring how well health care and services are working at the local level in support of better outcomes for whānau and communities.
“I see the functions of both the IMPB and the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee as complementary to each other, to achieve significantly improved health outcomes for Māori.”
It was natural for there to be uncertainty as functions transfer from one agency to another, Reti acknowledged.
But he said he had stressed to the iwi leaders that he expected Health NZ and Ministry of Health officials to ensure that this transfer happens with minimal disruption to staff, contract holders and IMPBs.
“I came away encouraged by the passion and dedication the IMPB leaders have to support Māori health outcomes, and outcomes for all New Zealanders,” Dr Reti says.
This looks like an effective response from Reti, a GP, to the government’s myriad of critics, including Shanan Halbert, who told Parliament:
I wonder if the doctors in this House who have supported the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority today have abandoned their ethical principles that they were once asked to uphold as medical professionals—to act with integrity and in the best interests of their patients.
Just not the Māori ones. How morally bankrupt do you have to become to sell out your own people and communities for a couple of trinkets and baubles of political office and a bit of a campaign clickbait.
It should be a timely reminder for all people that it might be our health sovereignty and opportunities they are stealing today. But rest assured, they are coming for yours tomorrow.
But it was the grim foreboding about blood stains that resonated with Point of Order staffers.
Mind you, Halbert has a track record for exaggeration.
During the election campaign, the Advertising Standards Authority dismissed a complaint against him, saying it did not reach the threshold to breach the advertising codes.
In its report on the ASA ruling, Stuff said that – in his campaign flyer – Halbert celebrated “1,700 new warm, dry homes as part of the Northcote Development”.
But at that time just 425 homes had been built, whereas 317 (mostly old state) homes had been demolished or removed.
The homes aren’t due to be completed until 2026.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
1 comment:
Why do Maori grizzle about the medicine of the west - colonial heritage and modern science.
They should be left to their own devices on health care - that’s what they want. Their own charities excessively funded by taxpayer money for Waitangi Tribunal determined grievances can fund whatever they want. My only question - is McDonalds a reasonable substitute for a bit of cannibalism?
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