Turia Tariana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Turia Tariana: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:645;Page:14297] 
1. Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
 to the  
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector 
: How is the “genuine partnership” between the community and voluntary sector and the Government expressed when the relationship is contractual and controlled by the Crown agencies? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector) 
: 
 Our Government set out its commitment to strong and respectful relationships with community and voluntary organisations in the statement of Government intentions in 2001. Since that time we have established the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector implemented online information about building relationships between the Government and the sector and about funding practices launched the Keeping it Legal resource to ensure community groups understand their legal responsibilities and launched Good Practice in Action to showcase examples of best practice. More recently we have launched a new sustainable funding model for community groups that deliver essential social services. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: How will the Minister respond to the request for direct resourcing to iwi and tangata whenua providers as a genuine commitment to partnership as stated by Enid Leighton the general manager of Ngati Awa Social and Health Services on Radio New Zealand National yesterday morning? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I have no difficulty at all in organisations such as the one the member referred to being funded via a departmental appropriation but I do not support the notion of having a direct line item budget to such organisations. 
Hon Marian Hobbs 
: What reports has the Minister seen regarding alternative approaches to building partnerships between the Government and the community and voluntary sector? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I have seen an approach that rejects the concept of partnership outright. This approach was described as based purely on competitive tendering where the Government is really just a purchaser of services. That will cut right back on capacity funding. That is the policy of the Leader of the Opposition Mr John Key. His party is too insecure to build a relationship with the community and the voluntary sector. The National members are afraid to raise expectations because they do not want to deliver results. 
Sue Bradford 
: Will the groups that receive full funding from the Ministry of Social Development under the new initiative be allowed to advocate politically—not at the Government’s expense—for the people and issues they serve without risking the loss of funding? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: Why does the Government continue to have a different range of bed-night costs between tangata whenua organisations and mainstream organisations as stated on Radio New Zealand yesterday? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The difference is not between tangata whenua and other organisations; the difference is between family members and contracted organisations. 
Hon Tariana Turia 
: What strategies are being considered to enable tangata whenua to provide solutions with equitable funding given the current imbalance to tangata whenua organisations within the community and voluntary sector? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: I am delighted that the most recent of many initiatives has included a large number of tangata whenua organisations and that specific funding is there not just to fully fund the contracted services but also for capability.