Turia: Address and Reply
Address in Reply : Hon Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party
Wednesday 15 February 2012; 3.10pm
In the Speech from the
Throne, there was one simple statement, which revealed the
next steps in progressing our transformation agenda.“As
agreed with the Maori Party, a separate appropriation and
governance structure will be established for Whanau
Ora”.
This statement was a signal to us all, that Government has confidence in Whanau Ora as an approach that is premised on delivering better results for whanau.
In the Relationship Accord that confidence is articulated further: to “support the evolving focus and ongoing implementation of Whanau Ora”.
Today, I want to share some of our learning and our successes in the journey of whanau transformation.
The sheer numbers of whanau engaged is one tangible measure the enthusiasm with which New Zealand families are taking up these opportunities.
We have 25 provider collectives, representing 160 provider organisations, currently delivering to and engaging whanau and families.
At least 2000 whanau plans, representing more than 15,000 family members have set their whanau planning activities in motion through involvement in the Whanau, Integration, Innovation and Engagement Fund.
In addition, 1000 whanau are actively navigated to access existing services through our 25 provider collectives.
But although the numbers are important,
the over-riding interest for me has been on the outcomes –
are we seeing success for whanau across a broad range of
situations?
Let’s be clear. This is high risk
business with the potential for a high return. There is no
quick-fix solution to achieve the wellbeing of families but
we have to invest time, energy and resources in families to
be self-managing.
And I would dare anyone in this
chamber to declare that raising families is a walk in the
park. We all know the challenges that come with raising
children in today’s world. The circumstances of daily
life can be at times very stressful, even in the best of
families
For some families, their circumstances
become overwhelming. Compounding factors such as a loss of
employment; inadequate income; persistent illness; crippling
racism and substandard housing all create tension in an
already fragile situation.
Successive administrations
have attempted to intervene in circumstances of crisis. But
in too many times the intervention itself has simply created
another obstacle in the path of the family in need.
A
brave government would admit that the state is not the
ultimate solution.
A bold government would be prepared
to trust in the people; to acknowledge their potential, to
enable whanau to set their own direction in making change
happen.
This, indeed, is the hub of the political
challenge – to find the point of equilibrium between
prudent accountability of public funds and an environment to
support the diversity of whanau aspirations.
I want to
remind those who have spoken out in anger against what they
see as a one-man crusade to undermine Whanau Ora, that
Whanau Ora has always been about more than politicians or
political parties – indeed it has never relied on
parliament as a moral guarantor – and nor should
it.
For essentially, the success of Whanau Ora has
been due to a rising tide of confidence in local solutions,
that we trace back over many many decades. It has emerged
from the momentum of whanau to create a secure foundation
for our mokopuna to benefit from and the majority of our
whanau do this without state intervention.
Whanau Ora
did not just come along in 2012.
We saw the
genesis of the approach in Puao-te-ata-tu; in Tu Tangata; in
the kohanga reo movement; in the Hui Taumata of 1984. The
call was broad for whanau, hapu and iwi to determine, run
and control their own initiatives. The funding for these
moves would come from the so-called negative spending that
went into picking up the pieces.
A fundamental premise
in this journey was to encourage the state to place faith in
the capacity of families to achieve outcomes which could
lead to full participation within society. This has not
changed a generation on in our current environment where
there has been significant change in our economic, cultural
and social environment.
This journey is predicated on
an investment in an indigenous approach – an approach
based on Maori cultural foundations built around a communal
approach to wellbeing. Indeed, it is available to all who
want to participate in this approach.
We have been
here before.
Indeed in this House, 21 years ago in
April 1991, a politician rose in the Appropriation debate to
give voice to a view which might well have come out of the
Whanau Ora vote. The Minister of Maori Affairs at that
time said, and I quote: “It was not for central
government to determine for tribes their shape, their
character or their form and that policy was supported by
Maoridom. The Government would work in a voluntary way with
every tribe, with every subtribe, even with family, but it
would be oppressive and culturally offensive to hold out the
taxpayers cheque book and say, either you conform or we
don’t deal with you”.
That politician was
Winston Peters, and I hope that he can appreciate the
contribution that Ka Awatea also made, to a journey that we
are now seeing the fruits of, through the success of Whanau
Ora.
I said before, that Whanau Ora is a high risk
business – why wouldn’t it be, when we know the impact
that circumstances can have on already fragile
lives?
But if it is high risk, it is also high return
– and that return has been evidenced in three
ways.
We have seen strategic
leadership and regional championing bringing
together knowledge, expertise and experience of community
members and government processes, to benefit the wellbeing
of whanau.
We are observing systemic
change – progressive and incremental success
demonstrated by integrated contracts, multi-year funding,
multi-year planning and the accompanying action research to
inform quality improvement and to evidence
outcomes.
And most importantly we are seeing the
value, benefit and success of whanau
transformation as they build their
capability and become the vehicle for their own
change.
Whanau Ora is about transforming our futures.
It is being realised in outcomes across social, cultural and
economic dimensions.
One of the most significant
aspects is the planning to create intergenerational
transfers of knowledge and values – to put an end to
cycles of despair, and to pave a way in which whanau
aspirations are able to be fostered.
Our next steps
are in extending Whanau Ora to Kaipara, Hauraki, South
Waikato, Taupo and Turangi, Palmerston North, Wairarapa,
Levin and Kapiti Coast, and Murihiku.
We are
championing an inclusive approach – an approach which is
driven by a focus on outcomes. That approach, while
fundamental to the opportunities and gains for whanau, also
comes back to Government.
And so I conclude my
contribution today, with an assurance to the House, that we
can have every confidence that the Whanau Ora approach will
continue to evolve.
Despite the amount of resourcing
distributed across government departments and to a range of
agencies, there is an unfair expectation that Whanau Ora is
the panacea for everything. We all have the responsibility
to be responsive to practise whanau ora.
Whanau Ora
can begin with us all modelling hope and placing value in a
vision for tomorrow – the translation of our highest hopes
into strong whanau who will lead communities throughout
Aotearoa.
ENDS