King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:660;Page:9036] 
2. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he stand by all his recent statements about Whanau Ora? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the  
Prime Minister 
: Yes. 
Hon Annette King 
: In light of his comments that Whanau Ora will be provided to all New Zealanders will funding be available to all providers wanting to be involved in the programme or will it be limited to those providers who provide kaupapa Maori - based services? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: It is the intention of the Government that Whanau Ora will be available to all New Zealanders in need. Of course there will be a process to go through as the programme is rolled out. Those details will be announced in due course. 
Hon Annette King 
: In light of that answer why did he say on Radio Waatia this morning that Whanau Ora will operate like kohonga reo under a Maori kaupapa; if this is the case how does he envisage the programme working for all New Zealanders coming from many different cultural backgrounds? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: A number of services around the community already operate in a kaupapa Maori way but they provide all their services for all New Zealanders within their areas. As you know many Maori health providers in New Zealand are health providers for everybody. 
Hon Annette King 
: Why is he telling Maori media that Whanau Ora is for Maori and telling mainstream media the opposite which is that it is for all New Zealanders? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: That is not what the Prime Minister is doing. The Prime Minister has been absolutely consistent as has Mrs Turia that this is a concept for all New Zealanders. The contradiction is actually from members opposite. The Maori Labour members are apparently criticising the Maori Party for having a programme for all New Zealanders yet the Pakeha Labour members are claiming the opposite. 
Hon Annette King 
: When he signed the relationship confidence and supply agreement with the Maori Party he agreed to recognise the importance of mana maintenance mana enhancement and significant outcomes for Maori through Whanau Ora so why is he now fudging the programme that was always designed for Maori by Mrs Turia and is it because his polling is telling him that his supporters do not like the policy? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Firstly it seems the polling is showing that New Zealand is endorsing the Prime Minister as opposed to the member opposite. Secondly the Government has been quite clear from the very beginning that Whanau Ora has potential to benefit Maori but is not limited to Maori. The current system is characterised by multiple contracts measures and interventions when the focus should be on what can be achieved to support families and empower them rather than on boxes being ticked. Whanau Ora aspires to take that step; it requires a significant amount of work which has been ongoing for some months and there is more work to do. 
Rahui Katene 
: Is he aware that Associate Professor Rawiri Taonui head of Maori and indigenous studies school at Canterbury University has said that Whanau Ora will be the most effective policy initiative for Maori since World War II and is this assessment of Whanau Ora consistent with any other views he has heard from Maori? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I do not have the information in respect of the Prime Minister himself but I do know that the Prime Minister has been told by the Minister of Health that there is very strong support amongst Maori and non-Maori providers for the opportunities that Whanau Ora provides as a new way of delivering services mainly focused on empowering families to take responsibility for themselves because the current system is not working. 
Hon Annette King 
: Does he agree with the Minister of Health who said that funding for Maori programmes is race-based and would not be tolerated under a National Government? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Whanau Ora is a programme for all New Zealanders. 
Rahui Katene 
: Is it true that Pacific people are very keen to be involved in the concept of Whanau Ora as is the non-governmental organisation sector and is there any opportunity for these people to be included in the implementation? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Yes I am very aware that Pacific people and many in the non-governmental organisation sector are very keen on the concept of Whanau Ora and that there will be opportunities for these groups to be included in implementation. The most important thing that the Prime Minister has noted from talking to those groups is that the current system is not working and this approach will empower families to take greater responsibility for themselves. That is something the Opposition does not like.