New model for TPK - a better working relationship

Mon Oct 11 1999

Giving Maori communities more say in how and where to spend money allocated for Maori services would make the system more accountable and more efficient, deputy leader of the Alliance Sandra Lee said today. She was adding detail to the Alliance Mana Motuhake Treaty of Waitangi policy which was launched in August. The policy involves legislation to change the mandate of Te Puni Kokiri, the Ministry of Maori Development, so that it can monitor each dollar in the Vote Maori budget, on behalf of Maori, to ensure that an effective service is being delivered. 'T he problem is TPK isn't allowed to be a Ministry of Maori Development . All it can do is advise the Crown and monitor what is not happening for Maori. 'The time has come to enshrine a model of partnership between the Crown and Maori when it comes to the allocation of funding for Maori services. 'Maori communities and their representatives must be able have a say in how the money is spent, and who spends it. 'At the moment the Crown is the provider of funding, and the purchaser of services for Maori. The Crown therefore measures outputs and tests quality of the service, not Maori. 'Changing TPK so that it is empowered to monitor the Vote Maori budget on behalf of Maori will balance the relationship between Maori and the Crown when it comes to providing services. 'At a time when the public is rightly outraged at the golden handshakes that go to chief executives of public agencies, like the Tourism Board or the Lotteries Commission, it is entirely appropriate that we look at the Vote Maori dollar. 'I want to make sure those dollars are reaching their destination and delivering a service to Maori where it is most needed, in health provision, in job creation schemes and in education. 'Who better to know whether the goals are being reached than Maori?'Sandra Lee is promoting this policy in meetings and speeches around the country in the lead up to the election. 'If in the next government we can get the basic structures for funding on track, then we have the blueprint right. Without that map, any other policy initiative is just a good intention,' said Sandra Lee.

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