Pou Tangata Co-Chair, Rahui Papa has hit out at the coalition government’s plan to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora, “there has been no communication of what the alternative will be, there has been no engagement with our whanau, hapu and iwi hauora providers on the alternative,” says Mr Papa.

“This coalition government has no future plan that ensures our communities are receiving nothing but the absolute best health services. When you have GP’s and other health professionals concerned about these changes and there is no plan moving forward, we all need to be concerned.”

The memorandum filed by the Crown with the Waitangi Tribunal yesterday announcing the Crown’s intention to pass legislation in Parliament to disestablish Te Aka Whaiora on the 27th February is dishonourable and a contemporary breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“This was engineered to remove the right of our people to be heard before the Waitangi Tribunal. The claimants were granted this urgent hearing, which was set to take place on 29 February 2024,” says Mr Papa.

To reiterate the statement made to the government at the National Iwi Chairs Forum in February, Mr Papa affirms, “Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a sacred covenant involving two peoples and we need to all uphold and honour this relationship. We should have the right to be heard on matters that we believe are contrary to Te Tiriti.”

“It’s time this coalition government stopped pointing the finger at the previous government and provided Aotearoa New Zealand with their roadmap.”

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