Labour MP Peeni Henare says ACT doesn’t have a prayer of making its criticism land of karakia at Health New Zealand.
ACT health spokesperson Todd Stephenson says advice from Te Whatu Ora about how staff could incorporate karakia into their daily routine was inappropriate and a distraction from the organisation’s work.
Mr Henare says Mr Stephenson is being hypocritical.
“We start parliament every sitting day with a prayer and I don’t hear him or his party making a stink about that and we know the benefits of karakia on the team in particular and health settings that serve Maori but here’s what I say to Todd Stephenson- don’t focus on the karakia, focus on equitable health outcomes for Maori,” he says.
Mr Henare says he’d trade karakia for equitable health outcomes any day, but ACT is more interested in whipping up anti-Maori sentiment.
