Kiwis still in the dark about Whanau Ora

The Whanau Ora Taskforce report released today – two months late – contains no new information on how the policy will be funded or delivered, Labour’s acting social development spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

The document was due to be made public in February but the Government held it back with no explanation.

“After reading this document Labour, like all New Zealanders, is still waiting for crucial details to be revealed.

“For example, nowhere in its 71 pages does it say where the funding will come from.

“Tariana Turia says around $1 billion will be spent. But John Key has made it clear there will be no new money, which means huge amounts of funding will have to be diverted from existing programmes run by the Police, health, Cyfs, social development and other front line agencies.

“These agencies are not awash with spare cash they can hand over without noticing.”

Ms Dyson said it is clear from a series of opposing messages coming out of the Beehive is that there is a huge battle going on between National and the Maori Party.

“Mrs Turia has said all along, and this is backed up in leaked documents, that Whanau Ora is a ‘Maori owned, driven and controlled’ concept, and that it would be led by an independent trust.

“Mr Key, who has to sell the concept to his supporters, has on the other hand maintained in the mainstream media at least that the new system will be for all.

“They both can’t be right.

“While Mrs Turia has gained a new title – she is the new Minister for Whanau Ora – she has already been forced to concede that it will not be run by an independent trust.

“The trust was a fundamental tenet of Whanau Ora, repeatedly mentioned throughout the document, but it is now apparent that the programme will be delivered by a government agency, most likely the Maori Development Ministry, TPK.

“While signals point to there being winners and losers resulting from the Whanau Ora policy, we will not know the full extent until the Government delivers the Budget in May,” Ruth Dyson said.

ENDS

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