Hon Dr Pita Sharples

Minister of Maori Affairs

Friday 4 April 2014 Press Release

Government responds to select committee tamariki Māori wellbeing inquiry

A report by the Maori Affairs Committee following its Inquiry into the Determinants of Wellbeing for Tamariki Māori has been largely supported by Government as it generally reflects current priorities within agencies’ work programmes, said Maori Affairs Minister Hon Dr Pita Sharples.

The Committee made forty recommendations to Government. A further eight recommendations were made which were not supported by the entire Committee, however, Government has also responded to these recommendations.

In its response tabled today, the Government has:

• accepted in full, or in part, twenty six of the forty recommendations;

• noted thirteen recommendations;

• and not accepted one recommendation.

“I would like to acknowledge and thank the Māori Affairs Committee for initiating this inquiry,” said Dr Sharples.

“A resounding finding of the inquiry is that the application of the Whanau Ora approach is fundamental. The inquiry reinforced that the wellbeing of tamariki Maori is inextricable from the wellbeing of their whanau; and that the significance of the collective identity is a first step in understanding the potential of a whanau-centred approach to their wellbeing. For solutions to be enduring the inquiry emphasizes that any strategies must be devised with respect and opportunity for whanau to be fully engaged in making the decisions that affect them.”

“Māori and tamariki Māori are still over-represented in negative health and wellbeing outcome statistics and that’s why sector effectiveness for iwi, hapū and whānau Māori is a priority for this Government,” said Dr Sharples.

“Immediate priorities include working intersectorally with a strengths based kaupapa Māori approach when building whānau capability.”

He says Government is focused on developing mobile, multi-disciplinary teams to provide home-based services, and implementing early intervention programmes for whānau.

“This Government is committed to ensuring equity of outcomes for Māori and improving the effectiveness of services for tamariki Māori and their whanau,” said Dr Sharples.

Copies of the Committee’s report and the Government response are available at the following links: http://www.parliament.nz/resource/0002082460 and http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/presented/papers/50DBHOH_PAP26103_1/government-response-to-report-of-the-māori-affairs-committee.

ENDS

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