May 26, 2016
Whanau Ora, reo and whenua funded in Budget 2016
Whanau Ora is to get another $40 million over the next four years, meaning a total of $72 million a year in welfare, education and health spending will go through Whanau ora providers.
Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox says today's Budget means Whanau Ora will be able to reach an extra 2500 whanau.
The Maori Party also secured $4 million to support New Zealand Land Wars commemorations over the next four years, following the lead of hapu, iwi and local communities who have organised their own events to recall battles that shaped their history.
This announcements follows growing calls for a National Day of Remembrance for the New Zealand Land Wars in recent years including a petition that was presented to Parliament by Otorohanga College students with 12,000 supporting signatures last year.
There's $1 million a year for a microfinance initiative that will provide small-scale, low-interest loans to reduce the number of whanau accessing finance from loan sharks.
Mrs Fox says the Maori Party championed this initiative after trials in the Auckland region showed the long-term benefits of providing micro-financing.
A study commissioned by Te Puni Kokiri in 2014 showed Maori earn less than other New Zealands, have a lower level of savings and lower home ownership rates, and therefore can end up resorting to fringe lenders.
The proposed Maori Land Service that is part of the reform of Maori land law gets $6.2 million in capital and set up fundign and $8 million for two years of operating funding.
Te Tumu Paeroa will get $3.7 million of operating funding over the next four years to assist Maori landowners to strengthen their governance arrangements, which should help to improve land utilisation and asset management, and to increase landowners’ financial returns.
The new Te Reo Maori Act comes with a $34.6 million putea, including $12 million to support the establishment and operations of the new crown entity Te Matawai, $12 million for Te Reo Maori Whanau and Community planning, and $10.6 million to help Maori Television shift to high-definition broadcasting on multiple platforms.
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