Maori are invited to join others in the queue for mental health funding – and they may vote in any referendum on Maori wards
An invitation to dip snouts into a new trough for $5 million of goodies is among the latest posts on the Government’s official website. It is accompanied by news of a few new appointments and Shane Jones’ travel plans and of what Nicola Willis and Simon Watts have been up to in Brisbane.
But the ministerial announcement most likely to generate headlines and provoke heated criticism of the government came from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown: the government has delivered upon one of its key promises to New Zealanders by restoring the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards.
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The Government has today delivered upon one of its key promises to New Zealanders by restoring the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says
The invitation to slurp from a new trough was issued by Mental Health Minister Matt
Doocey, when applications opened for the Government’s first round of the new $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund.
A Request For Proposals for the first round of $5 million funding opens today on the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS).
The first contracts for round one of this initiative are expected to be in place by early November this year.
“This fund provides an excellent opportunity for non-government organisations (NGOs) and community mental health and addiction providers to receive extra funding for innovative time-limited projects and initiatives that will increase access to better mental health support,” Doocey said.
But it’s fair to suppose not every mental health and addiction provider will secure a chunk of the dosh for their projects. Someone has to decide who wins money and who fails. .
Doocey explained that the Innovation Fund was inspired “whilst listening to grassroots organisations who are already delivering for their communities”.
We are left to assume that it is he who did the listening.
He went on:
“Investing in our hard-working NGO and community mental health and addiction providers will support this Government’s priority focus on increasing access to mental health and addiction support, growing the mental health and addiction workforce, strengthening the focus on prevention and early intervention, and improving the effectiveness of mental health and addiction support.”
Doocey made special mention of the Crown’s treaty partners in his press statement, saying he encouraged providers, “including iwi-based and other Kaupapa Māori providers,” to consider submitting proposals to this open contestable procurement process.
But many Maori – supported by significant numbers of non-Maori – are not satisfied with having the same electoral entitlements as other members of the community.
That became plain after Simeon Brown said the passing of the Local Government Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.
This draws a line under the divisive policies introduced by the previous government that denied local communities a say over whether to establish these constituencies, he said.
“The Bill restores the rights of voters in local communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards on their councils, a decision which restores local democracy and decision making.
“There is no more local a form of government than individuals being able to decide on local issues at the ballot box.”
The Bill will require councils that established Māori wards without a referendum to hold a binding poll alongside the 2025 local elections.
“Requiring councils to hold a poll if they established a Māori ward without holding a poll previously allows the community to have their say.
“Restoring the right to local referendums on the establishment and ongoing use of Māori wards is a commitment under both the ACT and NZ First coalition agreements with National,” Mr Brown says.
But Labour’s Kieran McAnulty lambasted the government, saying the majority of local councils do not want the legislation, which is forcing them to have referendums they don’t want to pay for, he said.
“If the Government was levelling the playing field like they say they are, they would propose referendums for all types of wards, but they’re not. If they were truly concerned about ‘one person one vote’ they would change the rules so that people who own multiple homes don’t get to vote more than once, but they’re not. All they’re focused on is Māori wards. It’s a bloody disgrace.
“This Bill has shown this government’s true self and true agenda. They have deliberately chosen to make our country a more divisive place, with Simeon Brown confirming he is making the changes solely based on race.
“These wards were always the choice of local councils, but the Minister has taken away their voice.
“They’ve taken away the ability of councils to make their own decisions and left ratepayers footing massive bills for water infrastructure. Simeon Brown is totally out of touch with local communities and real people.”
Just how out of touch Brown might be with local communities and real people will become evident in the referendum results, of course.
There is nothing in the new law which bars Maori from voting in a referendum..
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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