New money targeting Māori housing and Māori health has been welcomed by Waipareira CEO John Tamihere.

He said the $730 million for Māori Housing and the $243 million ring fenced to establish a stand-alone Māori Health Authority and Māori programmes to be administered by the Authority announced by Finance Minister Grant Robertson today must be commended and acknowledged.

“As long as the Māori housing money is used to support Māori home ownership and not caught up in bureaucratic red tape, then it is a great investment,” Tamihere said.

“Health Minister Andrew Little and Associate Minister Peeni Henare must also be acknowledged for front footing the Māori Health Authority.

“The Māori Health Authority is a big step forward for Māori and while Whānau Ora did not receive extra funding this budget, we look forward to collaborating with the new Māori Health Authority on our commissioning model, which is often praised by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. “

Tamihere said it is still disappointing mega ministries like Corrections and Justice continue to be major recipients of the budget day money scramble.

“If the government took the same approach to Māori equity that they do to Māori incarceration, we would be having a different conversation,” he said.

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