The Waitangi Tribunal review is on Tama Potaka's desk and has been for a while.
It hasn’t gone to Cabinet. Why not?
The report into what they call MAPAS (the Maori and Pacific Admissions Scheme) for medical school at Auckland and Otago university was a coalition deal between Act and National to review it.
They have done it. It's on Associate Health minister Matt Doocey's desk.
Has it gone to Cabinet? No.
Why?
Could it be National aren't all that gripped by race-based issues and don’t want to rock the boat before polling day?
The medical school programme is a scam. It's defended by the universities because they want the gap closed in terms of race representation in medical studies.
In simple terms if you are a Maori or Pacific Islander, your entry to medical school is easier than if you are not. That is indisputably discrimination.
What makes it worse is access to medical school for non-Maori or Pacific Islanders is extraordinarily high.
You need a score into the very high 90's to even get close. There has been much debate over the years as to whether that actually produces great doctors or not.
As a result Auckland take a slightly different approach to Otago over admissions, but the truth remains race gives you an easier pathway.
Their defence also suggests that once in you still have to achieve, no matter who you are and that they also run a rural programme that favours students from regional backgrounds.
My argument is race and geography should play no role. What I want in a doctor is competence and professionalism. Do they know what they are doing?
My GP's have been women, Asian, Indian, male, British, Irish, older and younger. None of it mattered.
Some were quite obviously good, some weren't. Their medical acumen was, and is, what I'm interested in. I assume it's even more relevant by the time you are on a surgery table getting cut open.
It will be interesting to see what the report says. I find it hard to believe the conclusion isn't inevitable i.e race is discrimination, and this Government promised that sort of thing would stop.
So, where is the report? Why isn't it public?
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings - where this article was sourced.
They have done it. It's on Associate Health minister Matt Doocey's desk.
Has it gone to Cabinet? No.
Why?
Could it be National aren't all that gripped by race-based issues and don’t want to rock the boat before polling day?
The medical school programme is a scam. It's defended by the universities because they want the gap closed in terms of race representation in medical studies.
In simple terms if you are a Maori or Pacific Islander, your entry to medical school is easier than if you are not. That is indisputably discrimination.
What makes it worse is access to medical school for non-Maori or Pacific Islanders is extraordinarily high.
You need a score into the very high 90's to even get close. There has been much debate over the years as to whether that actually produces great doctors or not.
As a result Auckland take a slightly different approach to Otago over admissions, but the truth remains race gives you an easier pathway.
Their defence also suggests that once in you still have to achieve, no matter who you are and that they also run a rural programme that favours students from regional backgrounds.
My argument is race and geography should play no role. What I want in a doctor is competence and professionalism. Do they know what they are doing?
My GP's have been women, Asian, Indian, male, British, Irish, older and younger. None of it mattered.
Some were quite obviously good, some weren't. Their medical acumen was, and is, what I'm interested in. I assume it's even more relevant by the time you are on a surgery table getting cut open.
It will be interesting to see what the report says. I find it hard to believe the conclusion isn't inevitable i.e race is discrimination, and this Government promised that sort of thing would stop.
So, where is the report? Why isn't it public?
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
Indeed.
I listened to Hosking grill Luxon on this very topic in his weekly interview.
Luxon was exceptionally evasive, and tried to brush concerns aside by effusive bluster and 'bonhomie'.
He FAILED to acknowledge Hoskings query : " Why not just release the report now and let US see it?"
I wish the media would follow this like dog with a bone....they certainly do over trivial things.... BUT on important things like this nary a word !!!ðŸ˜
Maybe this author should put this question to Luxon instead of asking about his favourite colour.
Frankly it is very racist towards mainstream maori too. There are good people, bad people, rich people and poor people in every race on planet earth. Your skin colour is totally irrelevant We all know this. Most kiwi's have travelled. It is grossly unfair to say to someone of maori decent who may own a business and has done done well for himself, that he is now in the victim category, needing special hellp. That is racist also. How can someone like Luxon buy into that nonsense?
Luxon was extremely uncomfortable when Hosking interviewed him, his nervous laugh was just so painful, as he attempted to make light of the questions.
I was wondering if Luxon understood the public want these issues sorted, now I think we know he does and is avoiding for political reasons
Medical school gives doctors knowledge which they then draw upon when diagnosing what’s wrong with you, so far so good, but the knowledge held by a single doctor is limited, thus their ability to correctly diagnose and treat your illness is similarly limited.
But suddenly there’s AI where all the medical knowledge that ever existed is available to anyone with a computer.
This is the future of ‘general practitioner’ medicine. No longer needing 7 years of training, any halfway intelligent practitioner, with AI at their fingertips, can, and will, do it in the future. As the much reported ‘doctor shortage’ becomes a thing of the past, race based entry assistance will be unnecessary.
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