September 25, 2013
Whanau Ora a huge success
An Auckland urban Maori leader is defending the whanau ora scheme from Winston Peters’ attacks.
The New Zealand First leader is accusing Whanau Ora Minister Tariana Turia of skewing the bid process for the non-government organisations who will take over running the scheme, and he’s calling for it to be shut down and the money returned to more worthy projects.
Willie Jackson from the Manukau Urban Maori Authority says the New Zealand First leader has never supported the idea of using community-based groups to deliver wrap around services for Maori families.
He says as the largest provider of whanau ora in south Auckland, MUMA finds the scheme is giving it access to families who were previously missing out on help.
"We’re able to get in and organise and manage some of out families who haven't been able to pay their bills and all that. I've invited Winston to come out and look at some of the work we've done in south Auckland and west Auckland, but he always says no, he prefers to pick up on the Mongrel Mob geting some funding or stuff like that. Whanau Ora has been a huge success despite the limited funding," Mr Jackson says.
He can’t comment on the bidding process, because the National Urban Maori Authority is bidding to become the commissioning agent for whanau ora in the North Island.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd