The original claimant of the Health Services and Outcomes Inquiry (WAI 2575) applauds the government for plans to establish a Māori health authority.
Taitimu Maipi was a Ngā Tamatoa activist and founder of the first Māori health provider Raukura Hauora O Tainui established in 1983, and the original WAI 2575 claimant.
Maipi is supporting the announcement made by Health Minister Andrew Little, of major reforms to the health system in Aotearoa.
“I believe the government has recognised what we have said in our claim, which was to establish a separate Māori health system.”
Maipi says this is the first time he has supported a government initiative. He previously always opposed and protested anything that has come from out of Parliament.
"Finally, after all these years I see some hope in today’s government announcement but our challenge will be to keep the government to task, which was always the aim to achieve Mana Maaori Motuhake in Hauora.”
Maipi says he would love to see iwi unite" as we have done in education with the establishment of kura kaupapa and wharekura. As challenging as it was, we achieved what we set out to do with these kura throughout every rohe in the country.”
Māori health authority
A new Māori health authority will be set up to have joint decision-making power with the new Health New Zealand entity, which will replace all 20 district health boards. Both authorities will then plan health services for all Aotearoa.
As part of the reforms, Health New Zealand would commission primary and community services through four regional divisions but there are no details yet as to where they would be based.
The Green Party welcomes the major healthcare reforms.
Green Party health spokesperson Dr Elizabeth Kerekere welcomes the government’s announcement of the creation of a Manatū Hauora Māori. "There is a lot of mahi to do, and we need to ensure the call from tangata whenua for an independent voice and commissioning power is implemented.”
The Human Rights Commission also welcomes the creation of an independent Māori health authority as part of major reforms to the health and disability sector.
Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt says it is particularly positive to honour Te Tiriti and tino rangatiratanga as essential to advancing Māori health equity and improving the health system.
Not everyone is convinced
National Party health spokesperson Dr Shane Reti told Radio New Zealand that scrapping DHBs would result in regions and smaller communities losing their voices and autonomy.
"Our regions know what works for them when it comes to keeping their communities healthy, and that isn't always having Wellington dictate terms," he said in a statement.
"The government should be looking to maintain regional identities and exploring the consolidation of some functions across DHBs, like asset management, not getting rid of them entirely."
ACT Party’s health spokesperson Brooke van Velden says a separate Māori health authority will only prove to be divisive.
“We have more than two races in New Zealand. What about the health needs of Chinese and Indian New Zealanders?”
“Amalgamating the DHBs into one organisation is a positive step forward, but all the Government is doing is shifting the issues of 20 DHBs to one organisation. We needed to address the real issues in the system not just shift them around."