October 22, 2021
Iwi boards to drive Māori Health Authority
A network of iwi-Māori partnership boards feeding into the new Māori Health Authority has been outlined in a bill now before parliament.
The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill will establish both Health New Zealand, which replaces district health boards, and the Māori Health Authority as well as a new public health agency.
Health Minister Andrew Little says the iwi-Māori partnership boards will help the authority understand what is needed at a locality level.
He says about 88 per cent of health services to Māori come through non-Māori bodies, which is why the authority will work closely with Health New Zealand to commission services.
“It’s about making sure that the way the health system operates in both the Māori Health Authority and Health NZ work together, I’m pleased to see even at this early stage of the two organisations being established they are forging a close relationship because, in the end, they both need each other to work together for each to be successful,” Mr Little says.
The Māori Health Authority has $100 million as an initial budget to commission services.