February 20, 2019
Media Statement:Iwi Partnership Heartened by Positive Impact of Whānau Ora
Media Statement
FOR RELEASE, 20 February 2019
Iwi Partnership Heartened by Positive Impact of Whānau Ora
Co-Chairs of Te Taumata (the iwi partnership of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu), Amoroa (Molly) Luke and Dr Taku Parai, have today expressed their pleasure in receiving a copy of the report, Tipu Matoro ki te Ao, Final Report to Minister for Whānau Ora.
Te Taumata is a legal partnership of ngā iwi o Te Waipounamu, Ngāi Tahu; Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama Manawhenua ki te Tau Ihu; Ngāti Kuia; Ngāti Koata; Rangitāne o Wairau; Ngāti Apa ki te Rā To; Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Te Atiawa.
“In 2013, we set out on a bold journey to come together as iwi, to trail-blaze a model that reflects the aspirations of ngā iwi as they relate to whānau,” said Whaea Molly Luke.
“We are heartened that the report confirms while the Whānau Ora approach is new, it has created positive change for whānau and must be given the chance to bed in. We endorse the finding that Whānau Ora is culturally anchored, whānau-centred and strengths-based,” said Mrs Luke.
“We were pleased to see that the report singled out the South Island, commenting on the collaborative power of iwi, hapū and whānau entities coming together in the interests of the Whānau Ora kaupapa,” (p42) said Dr Parai. “It is important to us that the Whānau Ora approach is owned, enabled and guided by our nine iwi collaboration, in order to ensure local relationships contribute to the leadership of whānau”.
“We are, however, concerned to read of the barriers identified by Government agency representatives, that is “the Terrace culture” including a lack of trust in innovation and systemic racism,” (page 56). “The report highlighted the singular focus that agencies tended to take, characterized by a “siloed approach to government service delivery, a lack of integrated leadership and a continued focus on individual outcomes”.
“We hope that Government agencies in receiving this report, will appreciate the role they can play in supporting the Commissioning Agencies to focus on building whānau resilience and capability to be self-managing,” ends Dr Parai.
“The recommendations from the review panel are very clear: that Ministers must grow in the investment in Whānau Ora delivered through the commissioning approach; that government agencies must commit to engaging in Whānau Ora and that Te Puni Kōkiri, in particular, must extend its effort, promoting the positive results as well as identifying where and why other agencies are failing in supporting whānau,” said Mrs Luke.
“We believe the report from the panel is vital reading, which describes Whānau Ora as having the potential to be the exemplar. We loved the words from whānau itself that remind us what this is all about:
“We love Whānau Ora and the notion that whānau are the best determiners of their futures. I love that whānau are the solution and not the problem. I love that our navigators get to journey alongside whānau, through the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, and that they are on the journey together for as long as it takes. I am frustrated by the fact that it is bureaucracy and institutional racism that gets in the way of their tino rangatiratanga, mana motuhake and mauri ora,” (pp 56-7).
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