10. Question No. 10—Health (Māori Health)ARENA WILLIAMS (Labour—Manurewa) to the Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health)Question No. 10—Health (Māori Health)10. ARENA WILLIAMS (Labour—Manurewa) to the Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health): What progress is he making to address inequities for Māori with mental health and addiction needs?Hon PEENI HENARE (Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health)): This Government launched free kaupapa Māori primary mental health and addiction services. This is part of the wider five-year Access and Choice roll-out and allows for a bespoke approach to helping our tāngata whaiora. So far 29 kaupapa Māori service providers in approximately 60 locations have been stood up across the country to support our whānau. I've personally seen the difference these services are making on the ground and in communities and it's changing lives and reaching many who have previously been considered hard to reach. Earlier this month an independent interim evaluation into the Māori Access and Choice programme highlights the programme's procurement and workforce and its dedication to achieving equitable outcomes for tāngata whaiora. I'm proud of the commitment from this Government in giving our Māori providers a chance to look after our whānau. Had we not supported tailored approaches or invested in this way we would not have been set up to pivot and respond to mental wellbeing issues in smaller communities across our country.Arena Williams: How does the report address inequities for Māori with mental health and addiction needs?Hon PEENI HENARE: The initial findings of the report speaks to the procurement phase. The interim evaluation highlighted the programme's success at improving equity for tāngata whaiora. This was done by using innovative approaches through bespoke procurement processes such as video submissions using te reo Māori and tikanga Māori. This new approach gave smaller providers a chance to apply for funding for services that work in their communities. The evaluation also pointed to the kaupapa Māori primary and mental health and addiction workforce and how dedicated they are in achieving equitable outcomes for Māori. Between 2021 and 2022 alone the programme delivered 53000 sessions and more than 4100 people were seen in the month of December alone. Many of these services simply did not exist before this Government's Wellbeing Budget in 2019. The number of services in locations will only increase as the roll-out continues and in the last month thanks to the launch of a new website wellbeingsupport.health.nz tāngata whaiora and whānau can search for their nearest providers by using their address or location.Arena Williams: Can the Minister share some feedback on how the Māori mental health kaupapa is working?Hon PEENI HENARE: Earlier this month I visited Kaikohe's Whakaoranga Whānau Recovery Hub a community-led centre for people with mental health and addiction issues. There I heard firsthand the impacts drugs alcohol and violence has had on those seeking support and their whānau. I heard from a man who had taken up meth at a young age and been in and out of prison and was at risk of losing his kids. He is now meth-free and is taking his tamariki to school and working to have permanent custody. A woman who started injecting drugs at the age of 12 has got the help she needed through the support and manaakitanga of the staff at Whakaoranga Whānau and is now—I'm proud to say—drug-free and employed in her first job.Arena Williams: What else is the Minister doing to support Māori whānau with mental health and addiction needs?Hon PEENI HENARE: Through Te Aka Whai Ora we launched a project together with Te Rōpū Matua which is a collective of hauora Māori providers in Te Tairāwhiti to deliver mental wellbeing services to our Tairāwhiti whānau who have been impacted by the cyclone. We have almost reprioritised half a million to go towards the cyclone recovery to support mental health initiatives to help uplift the spirit of those communities with targeted campaigns resources training and rongoā Māori services. There is more to do but I will commend this Government for being brave in investing in these systems that work for Māori and communities right across our country.