August 22, 2022
Luxon prescription for Māori targeted social investment
Christopher Luxon is defending his first visit as National Party leader to Turangawaewae Marae.
Mr Luxon earned a frost reception with a highly political speech to the Koroneihana hui which included an attack on co-governance arrangements for Three Waters and other reforms.
In turn, Te Arataura chair Tukoroirangi Morgan schooled him that Māori saw co-governance as a shift to consensus decision-making that would produce enduring outcomes.
Mr Luxon says he wanted to start building a relationship as well as highlight the progress Māori had made under National Governments.
“We have aspirations for all New Zealanders. We have aspirations for Māori and we know that when Māori are successful New Zealand will be successful so our values of making sure we care deeply about people, and that we are focused on outcomes – a lot of talk going on in this country and very poor outcomes being achieved for Maori or non-Māori for that matter, and we care deeply about social investment and we want to move that into action, so we actually make targeted, powerful investments working with community organisations helping people on the basis of need,” he says.