Whanau Ora is the birthchild of MMP. It is the Maori Party’s policy for tribal self determination. While politicians will claim it’s not a Maori-only policy, the documentation shows it is. It has been designed to direct hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into empowering tribal groups for self-rule – independent from the state but funded by it.
The Chairwoman of the Whanau Ora North Island Commissioning Agency, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, said as much in a recent newspaper interview after she returned from a Tribal Self Governance conference in the US: “Today more than 65 per cent of the 566 federally recognised tribes are operating under Compacts of Self-Governance with the United States Government. Under self-governance tribes are delivering and improving health and social services, and co-managing natural resources. The theme for their conference was Tribal Self-Governance: A legacy for future generations. Like New Zealand, they’re on to it.”
She wants Whanau Ora funding to encompass “the whole fabric of whanau life, including health, housing, education, justice and social services”.
The policy has had a long gestation. It was first announced in January 2000, under the guise of “Closing the Gaps”, as a flagship policy of Helen Clark’s Labour Government. The Prime Minister established a special Closing the Gaps Cabinet Committee and committed $140 million to the policy over four years: “There has been a strong voice from Maoridom urging that it be able to take control of its own destiny, determine its own strategies, and devise its own solutions. That means the government going back into the mainstream budgets and ensuring that funding meant for Maori actually delivers for Maori. The evidence is that it has not been. It means strengthening the capacity of Maori organisations to strategise, to plan, and to deliver services.”
Tariana Turia, then Associate Minister of Maori Affairs and a member of the Closing the Gaps Cabinet Committee, explained the agenda underpinning the policy was “iwi self-determination through effecting a Treaty-based partnership… For Maori, the main point of the closing the gaps policy is to ensure Maori are not prevented from having the best possible chance to lead, manage and control their own development”.
Sold as a policy to reduce disparities between Maori and non-Maori, the aim of ‘closing the gaps’ was to devolve state funding to Maori control: “Under-resourcing and inappropriate contracting processes have lead to ad hoc development with the priorities of government agencies taking centre stage. This type of scenario must be avoided at all costs if the Government is sincere in wanting to advance self-determination for whanau, hapu and iwi. Centralised control will not lead to this.”
A key goal was ‘capacity building’: “Capacity-building is a sign that the Government considers whanau, hapu, iwi and Maori generally have a unique part to play in creating an environment in which Maori will realise their economic, political, social and cultural aspirations. Capacity-building focuses on enhancing capabilities so Maori become the managers and controllers of their own development.”
Through ‘closing the gaps’, Labour was embracing the radical self-determination agenda of the Maori sovereignty movement, and by promoting ‘capacity-building’, taxpayers were being forced to pick up the cost of up-skilling tribal groups ready for separatist self-rule. The policy was on course to deliver massive funding to Maori over and above the level of state funding available to other New Zealanders – that is until Simon Chapple, a senior policy analyst at the Department of Labour, released a groundbreaking report, Maori socio-economic disparity, which exposed a fundamental flaw in the government’s closing the gaps strategy.
Using Census and Statistics New Zealand data, the report revealed that rather than widening, the gaps between Maori and non-Maori were closing. While disadvantage did exist, it was found across all ethnic groups. It pointed out that intermarriage had blurred the boundaries between races and that ethnicity was not a pre-determining factor for socio-economic disparity.
The paper acknowledged that significant disadvantage was being experienced by some Maori, who lacked education and skills and lived in isolated areas where there were no jobs, but it reiterated that those who are the most disadvantaged in society, crossed all ethnic boundaries, and that government policy to support and lift those families should not be race-based.
The paper warned, that policies that are based on the transfer of large amounts of taxpayer funding for the purpose of reducing inequality are doomed to be captured by tribal corporations: “broad based policies which target the Maori population, which may be thought to close the gaps (such as fisheries settlements, other treaty settlements, cheap access to radio spectrum etc,) risk being captured by the considerable number of Maori who already have jobs, skills, high incomes and good prospects”.
Opposition to closing the gaps increased. Winston Peters called it “social apartheid”. Dr Rajen Prasad, the Race Relations Conciliator, complained that the affirmative action policies were discriminating against non-Maori, and he recommended that legislative proposals for health treatment to be interpreted in terms of the Treaty of Waitangi, should be dropped. Plunket said poor health was linked to lower incomes, not race.
In response to mounting concerns, Labour changed the window dressing. Prime Minister Helen Clark announced that closing the gaps was to focus on people in need across the board, not just Maori. The Closing the Gaps Cabinet Committee was re-named the ‘Social Equity’ Committee. But in spite of cosmetic changes, and the sidelining of some of the more radical elements of the policy, the practice of delivering preferential social services to Maori continued.
Fast forward to the 2008 General Election, and when National won the right to form a government, with the support of Tariana Turia’s Maori Party, one of her conditions was the re-establishment of the closing the gaps Whanau Ora policy. In spite of knowing that disadvantage is not race based and that the Maori Party’s separatist plan for tribal self government uses Whanau Ora as a first step, in June 2009 Cabinet approved the establishment of a Whanau Ora Taskforce to plan the implementation of the scheme.
At the 2011 election, Whanau Ora became a prominent part of the agreement between National and the Maori Party – the parties agreed to support “the evolving focus and ongoing implementation of Whanau Ora” – and after the 2014 election, the “ongoing investment in Whanau Ora”.
Whanau Ora was launched in 2010 amid extravagant claims that independent Maori social service providers would eventually be resourced to the tune of $1 billion. And while National went to great pains – as Labour had done – to point out that this initiative was non-discriminatory and open to all members of society, even a cursory examination shows it is designed by Maori for Maori.
There were many teething problems with the programme, which aimed to “empower whanau” and lead to “self-determination”.
The Police reported that “Intercepted conversations between Mongrel Mob members reveal they used funding from the Government’s Whanau Ora programme paid to a Dunedin anti-violence trust to buy cannabis for drug-dealing”.
Winston Peters questioned why $60,000 was given to a rugby club: “It is disturbing that the Rahui Rugby and Sports Club received $60,000 to research the vaguely-termed ‘whanau connectedness’ and ‘resilience’ in the community. In reality this is just another example of ‘bro-ocracy’ where taxpayers’ cash is divided up amongst the bros for nonsensical purposes.”
The Herald highlighted how Willie Jackson and John Tamihere had put in an application to become administrators for Whanau Ora with a bid that was more than the funding was worth: “Former radio show partners Willie Jackson and John Tamihere were knocked back in a bid to handle distribution of $14 million of taxpayer funding for health and social services because they wanted too much money in overheads. The pair put the total cost of distributing the Whanau Ora funding in the North Island at $21 million. But that figure is almost more than was planned for the entire country.” At the request of Te Puni Kokiri, the pair resubmitted their proposal and are now administrators for the scheme. However, concerns have been raised about accountability, on the basis that even though such private contractors are responsible for dispersing tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer funding, they are not covered by the Official Information Act.
In spite of Whanau Ora having been in operation for over four years, the government agencies responsible for the programme have failed to carry out a full evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the scheme. This led the independent Auditor General to undertake a review earlier this year. In her report published last week, she found that of the $137.6 million dollars allocated to the programme, $42.3 million – almost a third – had been spent on administration.
Her report notes that the underlying concept is based on the notion that instead of providing social services to individuals in need, Whanau Ora delivers funding to the tribal group: “providers should work with whanau instead of focusing solely or mainly on the specific needs of one or two people within a whanau.”
While Whaunau Ora providers have been encouraged to join collectives to deliver state-funded services to tribal groups, government agencies have preferred to remain independent: “the Ministries of Health and Social Development had no plans to change to a funding model that would take advantage of the effort and $68 million paid to providers to help them shift to whanau-centred service delivery”.
The Auditor General found that the goals and objectives of many of the Whanau Ora programmes were so vague that it was almost impossible to ascertain whether the funding was being well spent.
This week’s NZCPR Guest Commentator, welfare analysts Lindsay Mitchell, is sceptical about the policy:
“Whanau Ora is largely bottom-of-the-cliff stuff. Social services are in high demand due to the fall-out from dysfunctional inter-generational state dependence. In the scheme of things $34 million annually isn’t a huge amount of money. With Maori making up 35 percent of working age beneficiaries, it represents only about 1 percent of the benefit income going into Maori homes. The disproportionate reliance of Maori on benefits remains the over-riding problem.”
And it is a problem. While those working on Whanau Ora initiatives have no doubt produced some worthwhile results, the programme’s main objective is not about helping people to get jobs and become independent of the state, it’s about empowering tribalism. In fact, like its predecessor Closing the Gaps, Whanau Ora runs the risk of cementing in state dependence through taxpayer-funded tribal self-governance.
In her article The Folly that is Whanau Ora, Lindsay says, “I must confess some prejudice against the Whanau Ora concept because it hailed from Maori Party co-leader, Tariana Turia, who would never accept that the Maori teenage childbirth and ensuing heavy reliance of Maori mothers on welfare were undesirable”.
She’s right. In spite of the rhetoric, the approach of iwi leaders, with their ambitions for tribal government, has been to turn a blind eye to social dysfunction. They know that increasingly negative social statistics will give them more political leverage to argue that the state is failing “their people”, and that the only way forward is for the government to devolve social spending to tribal control.
But here’s the simple truth. Whanu Ora is not going to help Maori become less dependent on the state. As is inevitable with political schemes that lack transparency, have low levels of accountability, and pursue nebulous outcomes that cannot be easily measured, it will become a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money.
New Zealand is a country that values freedom and self reliance. The future is being built through hard work and aspirations for a better life. That’s what the government should be encouraging – not state funded tribal self-governance. Whanu Ora is not needed. Our state agencies are more than capable of addressing the needs of New Zealanders, regardless of race.
THIS WEEK’S POLL ASKS:
Should the government strengthen or phase out Whanau Ora?
*Poll comments are posted below.
*All NZCPR poll results can be seen in the Archive.
THIS WEEK’S POLL COMMENTS
| Family Start is Whanau Ora funded how many staff and clients are non maori ??? Nice fleet of cars they have !!! | Warwick |
| Rid NZ of all raced based fuding, When is we are all treated as one going to come true……????? | Craig |
| National need to govern for the benefit of the nation. | Paul |
| It should NEVER have been started. Just another scam, instigated by Maoris for Maoris. Needs to be stopped NOW ! | Des |
| Just ANOTHER subtle scheme to provide financial supplement to the already over-fat ‘trough dwellers’ who are actually a very small percentage of Maori. The average Maori in oyr society gets NOTHING fron Whanau Ora – just ask one or two that you know, what does Whanau Ora do for them – all you get is a blank look. | Merv |
| Get rid of it all together, it’s a blood sucker . We have to many side shoots, they need to be cut off. One for all or nothing, we are one people under one flag are we not. Dear John will sort it out at your expense and then walk away with a cushy job and a knight hood further degrading the honours. | Robert |
| Another case of most of the money going to the top few while no help seems to reach those lower down the chain who really need it. What a waste of time & money. | Jack |
| Maori handouts rarely get to the people who need help … The administration costs are excessive and imaginative, and usually cannot be accounted for. Lets keep any assistance within a business framework that is responsible and can be audited. | Robbie |
| There is only one way for Maori to get ahead and that is to forget free handouts and start working towards a better future for themselves. | Robin |
| We are a multicultural society with individuals and families who require support from the State. This support must be independent of ethnicity and be equally applied based on need. | John |
| If Whanau Ora funding is NOT geared to creating worthwhile jobs and non-reliance on welfare provided by taxpayers of New Zealand, then it should be stopped. | Carl |
| No to any form of race-based social benefits. Social “safety nets” have been designed to help all people in genuine need of assistance. There is absolutely no justification for any one ethnic group to receive priority over others. | Steve |
| Apartheid South Africa had it’s “Whites only” ambulances. NZ has it’s Maori only Whanau Ora. Different country – different colours – same racial discrimination. | Mitch |
| The person who conceived this policy is a racist who set up a Racist Party and now rewarded with a knighthood for her treachery. I wish her a speedy demise along with her racist policies. | Monica |
| Yet another Maori cock up. | DIANNE |
| Pandering, once more, to Maori mythology & fairy stories. And no, I’m not a believer!! | Dave |
| As always being milked by a few running the shoe. | Rae |
| Race based support is not acceptable in the time of supposed equality. | Steve |
| We in this country have arrived at a situation where enormous focus and resources are directed towards the wellbeing and development of our Maori minority. Let us not forget it is us the ordinary taxpayers, whose taxes are used for settling all the wrongs done in form of land confiscations etc during and after the Landwars of the 1860s.Wrongs for which the government of the time ie the British Crown was entirely responsible. So the solution is a simple one. All demands by Maori should be directed towards the British Government at once . All the funds to run outfits like the Waitangi Tribunal and Whanau Ora and associated organisations should not receive any further funding from us , the ordinary taxpayers of NZ, anymore. All Maori organisations have to stand on their own feet to deal with the British Government in regards to all historical grievances and have to negotiate all further issues with them not our NZ Government. And that has to be the end of it. Maori like everybody else do deserve all the good things in life as well as preservation of their culture and language but not at the expense of people who were not and are not responsible for what has happened to Maori in the past. We all are aware that the settlement monies paid to Maori tribes are managed by the tribal elite . So I wonder why the big Maori Corporations whose wealth has increased enormously are not bound by law to channel funding towards their own people in need .Think about that for a moment. We do need a political party speaking up for all of us who are basically nothing but cash cows. And this political party must not mince words when it comes to the point. Like the Maori Party does for instance. | Michael |
| It is a racist policy – the facts do not stand up to the reality. | Andrea |
| Get rid of all race based policies ! | James |
| The sooner the better! | Helen |
| No, don’t phase it out: scrap it in one fell swoop – for otherwise, it will be merely shifted sideways into some other, equally ineffective and potentially corrupt welfare scheme that puts taxpayers’ money in the pockets of the tribal elite. | Graham |
| Gone coon | Gaz |
| Too many handouts. | IAN |
| Not democratic, racist. | Edward |
| About time too. | George |
| Just another rip off of the tax payer! Is someone still buying silk boxers at our expense? | Steve |
| Yes throw it out quick befpre the part maori outfit can steal any more millions from the country coffers,,appeasement is evil and in the end does not work. | James |
| Maori will become more reliant on ‘welfare’ not less. These funds are welfare under another name. | Ali |
| I believe through experience of what I know is that those who set up the program and supported the program didn’t care at what expense and whos expense because the truth is the money was for those who could get their hands on it first and use it for places that were already established and existed then funds were used to upgrade at our expense. | Mary |
| Just another case of taxpayers money being milked by a pack of parasites. | Mike |
| Wasted money as usual for partmaori running organisations. | Lorraine |
| As stated we have more than enough Govt agencies to cater for all NZ regardless of race. | Derek |
| One law for all. No more racism. | Maureen |
| It is just a complete and utter waste of money as it has no finite goal and achieves absolutely nothing. | Allan |
| We must not encourage any race based system like this, or any system that increases benefit dependency.N.Z. Needs some to look at how the British have achieved a reduction in benefit dependency as well as fraud. | Bryan |
| About time. | Barry |
| It is time special benefits for Maori were discontinued. All residents of New Zealand should have the same benefits. | Peter |
| Phase the lot out iit is a gravey train for these Maori people who do not help there own kind. | Geoff |
| DEL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Wayne |
| It is time to recognise that we are all one nation and we do not need this sort of divisiveness. | Trevor |
| Equal rights and funding for all New Zealanders is the only way for the country to progress. No race based perks. | Kabe |
| This is yet another Maori gravy train. Cut it off at the ankles. | Maurice |
| And the sooner the better! ALL taxpayer funded schemes should be subject to critical appraisal and checks at least annually. Since this scheme has been found wanting, in a big way, the government has a duty to taxpayers to halt this scam, discover if any persons can be charged with criminal activity, and consider whether any programme of this kind should ever be considered in future. | Robin |
| Where will all this race-based bias end? | Stewart |
| All race based funding should be wiped. | Ian |
| Phase it out completely. Just an absolute waste of taxpayers money. We already have a health system for everyone. | Frank |
| Stop Maori misuse of Tax money. | David |
| Stop the gravy train! | Brian |
| We are all nzers and only one system of governess should exist. no matter how much they get they want more and don’t seem to be accountable for how it is spent. | Claude |
| I find it unbelievable that this programme did not have to provide easily measured performance indicators given the amount of taxpayers money they were allocated. The programme should be defunded immediately unless major changes to it are made. I am sick and tired of taxpayers money just going into the pockets of socalled administrators of Maori support schemes. | Murray |
| Another result of bloody MMP, an ignorant and apathetic NZ electorate and pathetic NZ journalism. Would be yet another example in the book ‘ The Suicide of the West’ The downfall won’t be from external terrorists; it is coming from within. | David |
| A complete waste of money that only enhances seperatism & elitism of some maori. | Merv |
| Whanau Ora should be immediately scrapped rather than phased out. It is just another visible sore that is part of the APARTHEID that exists in NZ. It merely advertises that NZ is the only Western Democracy practicing APARTHEID. How ironic, given our supposed historic opposition to South Africa’s APARTHEID regime. | Geoff |
| Enough of initiatives for Maori support….. let them embrace the idea of becoming New Zealanders like any other ethnic group. | Betty |
| Race based policy such as this will only increase dependency. | John |
| We are one people – let us unite. | Brian |
| National will not get my vote again if this continues. | KEVIN |
| There can be no special treatment for Maori – One law for all | Bill |
| The People of NZ (The Govt.) should Phase out Whanau Ora and MMP. | John |
| Aren’t we all New Zealanders? -after all we all eat, drink and ‘poo’ the same way! | Fiona |
| Along with abolishing the Waitangi tribunal. | Steve |
| One country one set of rules/laws for all. | Kevin |
| It’s nothing other than biting the hand that feeds it. | Ray |
| ..and quickly, to stop the troughing part-maori activists who are no doubt taking excessive personal gain from the taxpayer funding. | Gordon |
| Divisive. | Russell |
| Urgent. | John |
| Better still, stop it immediately before they “disperse” more taxpayers hard earned dollars!!!! | Bruce |
| I WILL BE OUR TAX PAYERS MONEY DOWN THE DRAIN! | Theo |
| And the sooner the better. Government social spending should NOT be race based. There are many disadvantaged non-Maori who are also in great need of assistance. | Les |
| In 2007 I was asked by the chief of the Notorious Chapter of the Mongrel Mob for help to set up a programme to break the serious addiction that was destroying many gang members and associates. Some money from government sources was made available and administered by the Salvation Army but with strong Maori support. | Laurie |
| Cancel it immediately. A complete waste of money. Existing Government Departments can deal with the issues Whanau Ora is supposed to address. | Bruce |
| We do not pay for scottish dancing lessons so why pay for maori to learn the haka within a minority race in NZ | Basil |
| Don’t “phase out” Abolish immediately. | Kevin |
| Enough of race based programs. We demand a country with equal vote, law and opportunity for all. | Neville |
| New Zealand is a free country for all who live here – it does not and should not matter what their race or colour is. One country, let us all share equally! | Nigel |
| Abolish it Forthwith. Just more Racist Rubbish from Gutless Government, wasting hard working taxpayers money. I have had a gutsful!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Greg |
| I agree, get rid of the whanau ora. | Paul |
| There are over 100 different nationalities in NZ. Why is it that maori are the only race that is “failed by the state” and needs spoonfeeding? | Michael |
| As long as these organizations can are allowed to bludge money from the goverment there will never be enough money in the kittie for those who really need it and this includes maori as well. | John |
| It is not just another rort and a waste of taxpayer funds, but is another attempt to both ideologically and practically consolidate separatism or a neo apartheid state in NZ. | Tom |
| Tribal shit again-never stops with the maori hand out gravy train, makes me sick. | Bob |
| Simply feeding the “bro-ocracy”. | Bill |
| Is totally unnecessary. | Noela |
| They should phase Whanau Ora out all together. Just waste of money when other places need that money. | Robert |
| And quickly, the Maori will never make it, no matter how much money is thrown them, | Athol |
| DROP IT LIKE A HOT SPUD. IT’S RACIAL. DO WE GET A EUROPEAN ONLY SYSTEM,,IN ANY SYSTEM WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. JUST LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE SET UP FOR MAORI ONLY. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO STOP WHINGING AND CRYING ABOUT HOW DISADVANTAGED THEY ARE. IF THEY GOT RID OF THEIR STONE-AGE CULTURE AND TRIBALISM THEY WOULD “CLOSE THE GAP” A HELL OF A LOT QUICKER. | PETER |
| This is an excellently written article, well argued. | Rochelle |
| Tribal strengthening can be achieved through better planned strategies than those the tribes have tried to employ. | Aly |
| No question. | Anthony |
| Get shot of the carriage attached to the gravy train just another Maori rip off.Give the money to Nepal or back to the taxpayers. | Ken |
| When will the voting population of this country wake up & realize that without a strong one law for all right wing partner or partners, a National led NZ will end up in exactly the same place that the Socialist parties were taking us, Mr nice guy Key is happily continuing where Helen Clarke left off. We desperately need a government who is not simply a puppet dancing to the United Nations tune. | Allan |
| Good old Maori sucking New Zealad money for personal GREED. | David |
| Maori have to start taking responsibility for their ‘situation’. If they want self determination, then the Treaty need so be annulled, you cant have it both ways, and get rid of the tribalism that is festering away in all decisions that Maori subscribe to. | Allan |
| Work, work, work for your family. It might get them somewhere other than into prison. | Ann |
| Dump it of course. Nothing in it for au people. | Murray |
| Speechless, sadly. | Barry |
| If Whanau Ora is considered to be as pivotal to the well-being of Maori and NZ Society as a whole then is it not time to abolish the very costly policy of having special Maoridom sections in all Government Departments / Agencies. They can be replaced with %u2018Whanau Ora / Family%u2019 sections that will promote / deliver family improvements – health; education; social; economic; job prospects; safety; etc. to all New Zealanders irrespective of ethnicity or race. | Martin |
| Race based policies such as Whanau Ora are a disgrace and blight on the record of a National Government. End it as soon as possible-like now! | Roger |
| Our policies should and support should be aimed globally, and NOT be based on race. The incentives to improve one’s fortunes and prospects need to be equally applied and available to all New Zealanders. Continuance of Whanau Ora is but an extension of the slide towards separatism rather than a unified nation. | Michael |
| If it cant be “phased out” then bloody well blow it up…..the whole idea that is. Why is this amount of money even considered for this bloody purpose. One of the brains trust in this outfit when questioned on spending $80.000 dollars on a……wait for it a whaka, commented “well books and that stuff is old”. Or the other example of the rugby game spend up……..for togetherness building. You have to be stupid to have stated this, let alone thought it was a good idea. We also have the thought of Mr Tamihere and Mr Jackson wanting to be in charge of distribution. I am going to put some rabbits in charge of my lettuce garden to ensure I can get them to market. We also have the example of an Asian lady having her Audi confiscated for gathering over the legal limit of tuatua’s. Go down to the beaches along the Mt. Maunganui shore line, one man we watched filled a plastic bucket right up to the last 50mm. He was’nt asian but of tangata whenua status and when asked said they are ours mate. He had no permit,simply stated you should know the rules bro. So I guess I should be able to figure out the distribution model for cash payments to be made under Family Gold (whanau ora) directors. Surely this asian lady knows, or is herself famous in some field, sport, medicine,law,directorships or sits next to someone at work who knows someone who will be aghast at her conviction. If this sounds at all racist, well I guess it is……..that is reverse racism against our pakeha brothers. | Wiremu |
| This is worse than aparthied ever was, and I speak from personal experience. | John |
| This is a race-based system of largesse. The fact that it was introduced is quite appalling. | Josephine |
| Water for all is the only way to go in all fairness. | Don |
| We don’t need another welfare system just for Maori. Enough is enough. | Geoff |
| It is not necessary. | John |
| Complete waste of NZ taxpayer money. If “Maori” want to continue with this program then they should be made to fund it themselves. The finance should not come from the other 86% of the population many of whom are also struggling to survive. | Rog |
| We are all one people (kiwi’s). | Noel |
| Unfortunately the “government” no matter what party is in control does not have the will to face up to the racist implications of such policies as Whanau Ora. | John |
| A complete waste of tax. | Peter |
| It is a waste. | Jack |
| Treat all New Zealand’s the same. | Allan |
| these types of money laundering schemes, only emphases the stupidity of a vast number of New Zealanders . It’s a waste of time to even comment on many of these rediculous subjects. | Malcolm |
| Such programs only strengthen racist. We much keep education universal Accessible to all, on the same terms. | Graeme |
| The hand outs are falling into Maori elite and neglecting the people who most need. Read figures on any Maori scheme and see what gets to bottom. | Rodney |
| Don’t even phase it out just close it down. | Clark |
| No authentic plan to start. No discipline. No accountability. No surprise. | Stuart |
| A house divided upon itself will fall. | Phil |
| Not only phase it out but get rid of it its not achieving anything except burning money. | Peter |
| Should never have been introduced in the first place ,but Politics reigned supreme and the right decision was ignored. Another prime example of the same the Foreshore and Seabed lLegisllation being overturned to suit Politics and of course the biggest single beneficiary of all-Maori. | Colin |
| All it has done is channel millions into tribal coffers, much of which in turn has found its way into the pockets of the elite. | Ron |
| Maori should be part of mainstream benefits. | Barry |
| What a waste of Tax funds stop it now. | Ross |
| This is a perfect example of race-based legislation and funding – get rid of it! | Terry |
| Get rid of it and all other race based funding with tax payers money. | Mike |
| Definitely not the Maori have bled New Zealand dry now. | Lionel |
| It is just another waste of money trying to help the Maori people in need. Instead of helping them to get out of poverty it is making them more dependent on the state and making the fat cat Maori administrators laugh all the way to the bank. | Colin |
| I am not a racist but I am sorry to say “Maori have been ripping the system off for years” and it is about time the National Govt said enough is enough. | Wayne |
| Whanau Ora is said to be a Treaty based Partnership privilege, The Partnership myth was founded by The 1987 Court of Appeal between the New Zealand Maori Council and the Attorney General (CA 54/87) by use of an unauthorised document written by Waitangi Tribunal Judge, Hugh Kawharu, which he called his, “Attempt at a reconstruction of the literal translation of the Maori text”, please note “reconstruction”. They couldn’t use the genuine Treaty because it has been proven to be race neutral, according to English law. Common sense will prevail, Queen Victoria did not have the right nor the power to grant Maoris exclusive rights denied her own British subjects according to English law and the Magna carta. | George |
| It should be phased out as quickly as possible. | David |
| What a disgrace, how the hell can this sort of thing happen in a so called democracy when we have about 1% of 15% of the population taking billions of tax payer dollars and basically pissing it up against the wall. Unbelievable !!! | Stevo |
| Before it continues we must determine who is Maori. How much blood etc. Feeling it in the heart is not enough. This will determine who gets it and how much. | Bruce |
| This is just another rort to get taxpayers money to feather a few greedy nests as seems to be often the case with these schemes it is time it was canned. | Digby |
| Phase it out but don’t stop there – get a team of hard-nosed auditors together (similar to some that are employed by the IRD) who will target all these tribalist cash cow organisations, go through them like a dose of salts, put tight fiscal controls in place and redirect our hard-earned tax dollars back into areas that benefit all NZ’ers – not into the pockets of parasites whose only claim to fame is their overwhelming sense of entitlement. | Scott |
| Waste Waste Waste. | Hugo |
| I don’t support any form of separatism in New Zealand. There are NO full blood Maoris left in New Zealand.. All those claiming to be Maori are entitled to all of the support and benefits available to non Maori. But when Rax Payer money is isolated to assist only Maori in any beniefits or self governance of so called Maori, then it is racism and separatism. | Colin |
| Waste of money, there must be far better ways to do this where the control of the money is not in Maori hands…. | Graeme |
| Another maori driven vehicle to extract more money from the taxpayer conduit to fund their lifestyles. Weak Govt has already given in to their greed on many points, eg “waitangi” As long as politicians give in to these schemes that the maoris dream up, they will continue to do so…endlessly! | David |
| Almost no evidence of improved outcomes for our poorest part-Maori citizens and a worrying lack of both transparency and accountability. Get them off the dependency ‘band-wagon’, please!! | John |
| Stop it immediately. It seems phasing out will just give more leverage to find more reasons to get more of the taxpayer’s money..My nephews, born and bred in Australia had a great-great grandmother who was Maori so they now claim to be Maori and considering to come to New Zealand. | Mary |
| Self reliance is what built NZ and kept original Maori ISO together. Giving away freebies destroys families and creates laziness and poor judgement. | Hilary |
| This program of racism should never have been started in the first place. | Dave |
| When is the government going to put a stop to apartheid in NZ? | Trevor |
| How long will it be before ‘our’ political leaders realise they are slowly driving our society down the same disastrous African style path of separatism? But then politicians are only want today’s vote – they have little concern for tomorrow! | Stuart |
| It is way past use by and a waste of money with no discernable effect. | Chris |
| NOT PHASE! just get rid of it completely. | Bill |
| Dump it, it’s just a wrought. | Wally |
| CHARITY; because that is what it is, only breeds the need for more. It becomes an addiction. You have only to look at the abuse our welfare system has been subjected to. No difference. Self esteem is not created by the acceptance of charity. You need to work for it. | Gary |
| MMP has brought a lot of bad things to NZ, and Whanau Ora is just one of them. In a less racial country it would never have been suggested let alone aloud to come into law. The part maori who are at the top of the heap must spend a lot of their time thinking up ways to squeeze more and more out of the trough. It’s just disgusting. | Lorraine |
| All this money given to maori gets lost and there is no accountability, it is theft by deception. | Colin |
| Another Maori wrought to waste taxpayer funds, hoodwink the Government , and cause an even more aparteid division of our so called “one people’,one country”. Wake up National! This is cunning Maori Dog tactics. | Robyn |
| There is not enough accountability. | John |
| A wasteful scheme put in place by greedy maori and gullible politicians – a leg into separate development. | William |
| More racial division and discrimination. When does it all end? in internal revoltution and hatred amonst this unique country. | Ian |
| I’m so sick & tired of government backed Maori schemes. They are pure government funded racism. What has got to happen and has been promised by National before but John reneged on, is the elimination of the fixed Maori seats. Then finally our weak governments won’t be chasing their racist votes by giving them extras. | Eric |
| The sooner the batter will still not be soon enough. It yet another Maori rort reinforcing Tribalism the notion of separatism. | Frank |
| Taxpayer funded assistance should be based low incomes and be for the benefit of all not just the moari race. It is virtually impossible to “live” on National Super, especially if one owns their own home with rising rates and insurance costs etc, and this should be the first item to be substantially increased. This just another giant hole to pour money into – lining the pockets of those at the top with those at the bottom seeing little. | Robert |
| Just money grabers. | Jim |
| Strength comes with self reliance. | Bruce |
| Never was so much wasted by so few…. | Ido |
| Willie jackson in charge of my money.NO. They are not democratically elected. Jackson is a socialist and willreward himself and mates. Is a racist to boot like Hone Harawira, while Tamahere as a lawyer has a gilded tounge and butter in the mouth wouldnt melt, smile to fool most people. The three of them would kick their own in the teeth to line there own nests. | Brian |
| Absolutely phase out. It is creating major racial divide, with most funding going to tribal hierarchy. | Norm |
| One country, one people. | Dave |
| It is being used by bandits to do what the like, over $100,000 for administration !!!!!! Can I get a position to help!! | Ian |
| Whanau Ora is no silver bullet. Writing bigger cheques won’t make it one either.. | Martin |
| It is no wonder the govt cannot balance their books. What a colossal waste of taxpayer money to fulfill another racist policy. Grow some backbone Mr Key and stop the nonsense, get these bludgers working where there are jobs instead of importing labour from the islands. | Carolyn |
| It’s about time that government realised that all state funded schemes run by moari usually end up as rauts. we have seen it so many times. | Bill |
| Whanau Ora has caused more problems than solved them The concept is definitely very biased toward Maori – and no other ethnic/pakeha people. | Elayne |
| The Government can’t keep throwing tax payers money at the bros without accountability being enforced. | Mark |
| Politicians, wake up to the lies and deceit in order to steal more taxpayer funds.. Phase out the Whanau Ora, the Waitangi Tribunal and work toward bringing equality to ALL NZ’ers, regardless of race or creed. Continuing to line the pockets of the elite Maori is dragging our nation down further into debt. Put a stop to it and also consign the too often changed treaty to history. It is no longer true to the document signed in 1840 and has been changed to allow more theft from our nation as a whole. We are a sovereign nation, and to tgry for sovereignty within our shores is nothing short of treason. Admit it, close them down and froce maori to use what they ahve already been gifted to improve the living standards of ALL maori. Telll them, that’s it there is no more. | Cecelia |
| PHASE IT OUT! Just another example of RACIST MOARI APARTHEID! | Mark |
| An absurd political concept – appallingly and contemptuously “administered” and impossibly countenanced without anything remotely resembling the sort of elemental accounting checks and balances demanded for disbursement of government-provided monies. | Jim |
| It is not providing what it was set up to do. Its just an endless bucket of money that is not encouraging whanau to stand on their own feet. | Joan |
| I am maori and this is a ridiculous waste of tax payer money!! | Malcolm |
| Any agency that is tax-payer funded should be subject to rigorous control and fiscal oversight. | Peter |
| Another absolute waste of Public Money to a greedy part Maori Minority. When is this pandering going to cease?? | Peter |
| No separate development in NZ – we are supposed to all be one nation. | Andrew |
| This has been a waste of time and money from the outset, a child could have seen this. Tribal people with a tribal attitude never seem to be able to stand alone and cannot self rule without the financial backing of the modern age, this is proven every year all around the globe. | Roy |
| Phase it out! Any one relying more than temporarily on a benefit is showing they are either leeches or beggars. (disabled excepted) | Judith |
| NZ cannot afford this continual drain on taxpayer funds for such schemes that produce no value. | Jeff |
| This is a racist policy. Where have the whanau in the past to help these disaffected family members. Giving them more money will not help in any shape or form. The solution for anyone to get ahead is education, education, education. These people do not get it! | Robert |
| I’m 5th generation NZ’r. Why can’t we all be equal? My grandchildren are 7th. How long do they have to put up with it ? | Brian |
| Yes – get rid of whanau oar and also the separate Maori seats. In other words, let’s end this silly separate development nonsense. | Peter |
| Definately phase it out, it is not working and all of the wrong people are benefitting from it. | Rhys |
| We cant keep giving money without accountability. | Jim |
| Phase out – and rapidly, not gradually. Anything that can be properly shown to be working must be integrated into the overriding existing welfare structure, and the rest dismantled immediately. the only surprise to me is that not enough people – especially politicians – could see this dishonest scheme for what it really is right from the outset. How many more times ? | John |
| Any funding for social welfare should be very clearly designed to help all needy equally, and should have very clear and measurable steps to meet goals. | Hilary |
| As is being said, “it’s a waste of tax payer money” with very little accountability. If Maori want their own schemes they need to fund them from their Treaty pay outs and investment returns from those (many of those being untaxed “charities” too of course). | Andrew |
| IMEDIATELY get rid of it, it’s wrong. | Rob |
| Another waste of tax payers money!!!! Dear God .. when are we going to learn? | Maddi |
| They should get rid of it straight away so no more money can be squandered or wasted, and or stolen to give to the maoris in charge of it. | Frank |
| Or double the funding and remove all Maori from general welfare. That should save the odd dollar. | Andrew |
| This is just another example of reverse racism . | Hamilton |
| Whanau Ora should never have been set up in the first place. It is a rascist organisation redistributing hard earned taxes to those who often choose not to work or take any personal responsibility for themselves..I am sick of seeing more and more money thrown at Maori with no expectations they use it productively. More money is spent on Maori than any other race in this country, They have huge sums in Treaty Settlements, pay no taxes on their businesses, or rates on their buildings and still cry poor. Where is the accountability. .They should be far and away the wealthiest group in the country. | Gail |
| It should be gone tomorrow. It will never work and is just a means for mainly lining the pockets of the bureaucrats who administer it. Any assistance should be given to every needy person and should never be based on race. | Helen |
| There is NO CASE for special treatment in this way! If there was, then we would need a whole raft of structures. For Pacific Islanders, for Chinese, Koreans, South Africans, Australians and so on, all of whom have some portion of their number who are in need of help! | Hugh |
| It should be abolished now, not phased out.Just another example of the John Key led apartheid systems which are designed to help only the National party retain power. What better vehicle could be invented to facilitate corruption than a race based organisation with no real accountability. If the government stopped all the race based handouts they could have been in surplus. If Maori want self-governance give it to them , but they must fund it from Maori only taxes. | Terry |
| We all know that the real answer is phase out but of course it would’nt be.When will people wake up to this farce and balance how much this is just more greed.This is 2015 Real Time. | Lance |
| Support agencies have to reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of New Zealand, not underpin one sector. | Briar |
| Not needed. We need to scrap all race based laws and get closer to the pretence of all of us being equal kiwis. | Peter |
| The politicians are too scared of alienating themselves from the increasingly powerful voice of Maori as evidenced by the increasingly strident and outrageous claimsfromthe treaty of waitangi lot. I fear they won’t phase it out as too gutless. | Mel |
| One country- one people… | Don |
| Whanau Ora is a racist policy and should be scrapped. | Paul |
| It is a sop to the Maori Party that sets this country up for separatism. It should never have been introduced. | Gordon |
| The policy failed under Labour and it is doomed to fail now but only after hundreds of millions of dollars have been ripped off and squandered. | Patricia |
| National is taking the country down the path to apartheid. | Stewart |
| Phase out the whanau ora policy and hold government agencies to account for their performance. Focus on teenagers on welfare and stop people who want to receive benefits from moving to parts of the country where there are no jobs. | Brian |