December 03, 2021
Pharmac boosts Māori staff after equity test fail
Pharmac’s chief Māori advisor says the government drug buying agency needs to invest more in its Māori identity.
An independent report has slammed the agency’s fortress mentality and its failure to address equity issues, with fewer than 3 percent of staff being Māori.
Trevor Simpson says Māori staff have increased from four to 11 since the report was done.
He says is also rolling out a Māori responsiveness strategy as it tries to face up to its treaty responsibilities and to listen to Māori voices.
“We’ve recently set up our first external Māori advisory rōpū which is going to be doing some of that for us, at least advising us at a strategic level what we should be thinking about, and that would include consumer, equity focus and of course Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” Ms Simpson says.