Whanau Ora bound to be a disappointment

There is real concern that many providers will miss out on funding under the Whanau Ora scheme, with the number of applicants far outweighing the funding being made available, says Hauraki Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta.

“Health Minister Tony Ryall has confirmed that the small pool of funding of $134m over 4 years for Whanau Ora is already oversubscribed. With over 130 applicants, there is bound to be disappointment as only 20 providers will be approved.

“When I asked the Government today if it was satisfied with the short-listing process, I was quickly assured by the Minister that there were no problems. Yet some providers have told me they’re confused and unsure about the process.

“While some providers say they’re well-informed about the processing of applications and the decisions being made by regional committees – other applicants say they’re totally ‘in the dark.

“If that’s an open and transparent process then I look forward to an outcome that hasn’t been pre-empted by speculation that some service providers had the contracts ‘in the bag’.”

Nanaia Mahuta says the fact so many providers have applied for funding shows many are already successfully putting whänau at the centre of their services – long before the Whanau Ora catch-phrase had even been coined.

“I am concerned about those applicants who will miss out under the new scheme. I believe they should not lose the core funding they so desperately need to support their work helping vulnerable and needy families.”

ENDS

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