Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins says the changes to Whānau Ora are a knee-jerk reaction to issues surrounding the Māori-led social service network.
The Whānau Ora tender process has been internally announced, with all three current commissioning agencies being replaced by four new agencies to oversee projects across the North Island, South Island, and Pasifika communities.
Hipkins says the change is dramatic and sudden, emphasizing the need for proper support for affected whānau and workers during the transition.
It seems to me it looks like a fairly sudden knee jerk response to other issues, Maybe it’s to do with the issues around the Manurewa marae, I’m not sure. But it does seem to have sort of come, it appeared on the landscape suddenly,” says Hipkins.
The three commissioning agencies will cease operations in July, and Te Puni Kōkiri will release more details on the transition in April.
