Nanaia Mahuta
Spokesperson for Maori Social Development and Employment

6 May 2010 Media Statement
Government majorly downsizes Whanau ora

“Tariana Turia must feel a little short changed after the government decided to allocate a mere $33.5 million dollars a year for 4 years to fund Whänau ora, $800 million dollars short of what she first expected”, says Labour’s spokesperson for Maori Social Development and Employment, Nanaia Mahuta

“This announcement must be a huge disappointment for both the Maori Party and Maori social service providers whose expectations were much greater,” said Nanaia Mahuta

“Whanau ora was touted as a massive overhaul of the way social services were going to be delivered to Maori – but the governments financial commitment does not reflect this initial promise.

“Not only does this funding fall short of expectations – it isn’t new money. It’s money that will have to be stripped out of existing programmes from other departments like the Ministry of Social Development and Employment.

“In the case of the Whanau ora funding it looks as if Tariana is robbing Paula to pay Pita.

“Whanau ora may have been the Maori Party’s flagship policy – but it doesn’t look like it’s a priority for this National government who provided more funding annually to John Keys national cycleway.

“John Key and Tariana Turia need to explain why Whanau ora which was once a overarching programme designed to overhaul the delivery of social services to Maori with funding of $1 billion has morphed into a small scale programme for all New Zealanders, being run out of Te Puni Kokiri on a budget less than that of John Key’s cycleway”, said Nanaia Mahuta

ENDS

© Scoop Media