July 8 2014

Whanau Ora: Beyond Politics

Maori Party Co-Leader Tariana Turia was disappointed with the korero coming out of the political panel that gathered at the Whanau Ora conference in Auckland yesterday.

“There are surely some things that are beyond politics. Whanau capability and capacity, success in outcomes, integration of services, a holistic approach – these are all markers of the transformation that over 8000 whanau have experienced during the Whanau Ora approach,” said Mrs Turia.

“And so I heard a collective sigh around the room when political representatives from Labour, the Greens and NZ First stated their intentions to review Whanau Ora when asked about their policies in this area.”

“If those politicians had attended more than the political panel they would have heard wonderful stories of whanau taking control of their futures,” said Mrs Turia. “They would have also heard the call for governments not to deliver the same fate as was experienced with the predecessors of Whanau Ora – Puao-te-ata-tu, Tu Tangata, Matua Whangai and other initiatives which the State failed to care for.”

“Whanau Ora leaders also described their despair at the word ‘review’, given they have felt under the microscope every step of the way in the Whanau Ora journey while many other services appear to escape such scrutiny,” said Mrs Turia. "Rather than a review, it would so wonderful if political parties could instead reflect and learn from transformation of so many lives that is occurring through the means of Whanau Ora."

The Whanau Ora Hui, Aligning Innovation to Whanau Success, has been attended by over 300 participants and hosted by Te Pou Matakana Commissioning Agency. Part of the hui included a political panel attended by Labour (Nanaia Mahuta); the Greens (David Clendon); NZ First (Winston Peters); Maori Party (Tariana Turia) and National (Jami-Lee Ross).

ENDS

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