Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia wants to see nurses working for Maori health providers get the same pay as those working for district health boards.

The party's health policy includes a working party on pay parity.

Mrs Turia says when Labour raised wages for state workers, they ignored the needs of nurses who work for iwi or for non profit organisations, who were regarded as private providers.

That position, which has not been addressed by National, has put pressure on the Maori providers.

" It's such an anomaly and it's so wrong. Our iwi entities put alot of training into the staff who go to work for them and then they get offered a higher salary at the DHB and they leave. It's not fair and it's not just and it's not right and it's got to be addressed " she says.

FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TARIANA TURIA CLICK ON THE LINK