Today, Te Pāti Māori has indicated what they will be looking out for in this Budget 2022.

“We expect that the Government will learn from Māori success during COVID and replicate that model right across the board” says co-leader and finance spokesperson Rawiri Waititi.

“The devolution of COVID funding to Māori to lead our own solutions highlighted that all we need to succeed is for the Crown to step out of the way.

“We are looking for a budget that delivers for Māori and that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi” says Waititi.

“That looks like a budget for the Māori Health Authority that matches that of Health New Zealand.

“That looks like a budget for Te Matatini that matches that of NZ Symphony Orchestra.

“That looks like a budget that shifts the burden of tax onto the wealthy end of town.

“That looks like a budget that makes kai more affordable, that removes GST from kai and that seeks to actively break up the supermarket duopoly.

“That looks like a budget that invests in the prevention of crime through Kaupapa Māori philosophy, like Whanau Ora, rather than investing in more police to kill our people.

“That looks like a budget that builds more homes rather than investing in hotels as homes. It looks like a capital gains tax and a vacant homes tax.

“We want to see a budget that makes it possible for our babies to take a healthy lunch to school, a budget that makes it possible for our brothers and sisters to live in a home, to be able to pay for that home, and to have a little bit left over for their tamariki.

“We are expecting to see the money hit the ground in a way that is meaningful to our people. Anything that falls short of that standard is unacceptable”, Waititi said

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