Whānau Ora Unable to Be Defended

Much of the Whānau Ora money was concentrated in Maori Ministers’ home territories, says New Zealand First.

“It is a matter of serious concern, given the Prime Minister’s rejection of this fact contained in the Auditor-General’s report,” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.

Mr Key claimed in Parliament today there had been “quite a lot of tightening up” of the flawed scheme. But, that’s not according to the Auditor-General’s report that found absolutely no evidence that good value for money has come out of the $140 million so far spent on Whānau Ora.

“The simple truth is Whanau Ora is a politically motivated scheme that is squandering public money.

“Mr Key unsuccessfully defended the preferential treatment of his Cabinet Ministers by suggesting a start had to made in some place.

“This was an undignified sidestep around questions over a scheme that has not stood up to scrutiny.

“The Auditor-General’s report shows that a third of all Whānau Ora payments went to just two of 10 regions, both the home areas of two former Maori Party Ministers. Nearly a quarter of all individuals getting funding through the WIIE fund between 2010 and 2012 were in Minister of Whanau Ora, Tariana Turia’s, home territory.

“Whānau Ora has been allowed to evade the usual standards of open and accountable public administration because Mr Key has been focused on shoring up the Maori Party as a support partner.

“It is a grubby and cynical deal between National and the Maori Party.

“In the history of public expenditure in New Zealand it would be hard to find any other programme that had so little in the way of justification – or evidence to warrant its continued existence.

“To say that the objectives of Whānau Ora are vague, amorphous, woolly and unmeasurable is an understatement,” says Mr Peters.

“At a time of fiscal restraint, widespread cost-cutting and hardship for many families this so-called programme is deeply offensive to New Zealanders – to the many Maori who struggle to find work and pay bills and the many families facing serious stress and who could make good use of extra financial support.”

ENDS

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