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Download AudioACT leader David Seymour says while he wants to scrap the Ministry for Māori Development and other what he calls demographic agencies, he’d be happy to see Whānau Ora being run by Māori communities.
Earlier this week ACT Māori spokesperson Nicole McKee said Whānau Ora could be administered through the Health Ministry,
Mr Seymour says he’d rather see it in Māori hands.
“Whānau Ora is a good programme and I think right across social services the attitude of the Government should move away from one size fits all and it should move towards devolution. Charter schools are a good example of doing that. Whānau Ora is a good example of doing that. It’s exactly the kind of thing ACT would promote and make way for in the civil service rather than try to marginalise which is what I feel has happened to Whānau Ora over the last four years,” he says.
Mr Seymour says devolution is a way to deliver rangatiratanga – but he still wants to scrap the Māori Health Authority because it’s divisive and based on their race.
