30 May 2024

The noticeable absences in the ‘Workers Budget’ coined by Minister Willis delivered today reveals a lot about how the coalition government values its commitment to the Treaty partner.

The “squeezed middle of voters” benefit this Budget at a time when new Census data says there are 978,000 Māori in Aotearoa – that’s 1 in 3*.

“I’ve read coverage ad infinitum where the Finance Minister makes the point saying “National kept its tax promise” – yet what about the Crown keeping its promise to Māori?” said Lady Tureiti Moxon, Chair of the National Urban Māori Authority.

“Where does aligning with the Treaty principles come into this provisioning? The covenant, Te Tiriti o Waitangi between the Crown and iwi is supposed to be first and foremost a partnership.”

Moxon asks how the new Budget aligns with the Treaty principles of equitable outcomes for Māori, the Crown responsibility for actively protecting Māori, and redressing the wrongs it has done to Māori.

Yet Budget 2024 allocates millions from the public purse for Crown Law to continue its litigation against Māori entity, Wakatū in the Nelson Tenths claim.

A matter where Supreme Court jurisprudence ruled in favour of hapū saying the Crown must uphold its fiduciary duty to the customary Māori landowners.

While the allocation for Whānau Ora has not changed in all four forecasted years, there is no increased funding for Māori Development.

This is against a backdrop of public service rationalisation and cost-cutting that clearly will take a toll on front-line delivery.

If Crown agencies are culling services and there isn’t a devolution of contracts to iwi, hapū, hāpori, community – many of our people will continue suffer. Māori top the Index of Deprivation data sets**.

There is no mention of Māori in the media announcements by the Ministers of Health, Education, and Police.

This is despite compelling and tested evidence indicating Māori men are dying on average 8 years earlier than non-Māori*** and Māori Primary Healthcare Organisations being underfunded by up to $583M****.

“The Minister of Infrastructure has allocated $140M for new social housing places, but will that go to Māori housing and service providers? We don’t know.”

Yes, Te Matatini receives $48.7M from next year. However, compare that to $2.1B for law and order including expanding 810 bed Waikeria Prison.

* Source: Statistics NZ via Waatea https://waateanews.com/2024/05/29/maori-census-data-ready/
** Source: Te Whatu Ora 2023 https://www.tewhatuora.govt.nz/assets/Publications/Health-status-reports/TWO-5300-Health-Status-Report-Executive-Summary_visuals_P06_V1.pdf
*** Source: Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora released the NZ Health Status Report for 2023
**** Source: Sapere Report https://srgexpert.com/2023/08/29/maori-primary-health-care/

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