Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mahuta Nanaia: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:668;Page:14775] 
11. 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for Whanau Ora 
: Is she satisfied with the process to short-list Whanau Ora providers? 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister responsible for Whanau Ora 
: Yes. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister confirm that an open and transparent process for short-listing successful providers for Whanau Ora has been undertaken? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Yes that is my understanding. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister give an assurance that unsuccessful Whanau Ora applicants will not lose core funding from their existing service to vulnerable and needy families? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Whanau Ora is about the integration of health and social services in support of families and whanau. It is not expected that those organisations that may not be in this first wave of Whanau Ora providers should necessarily have their funding reduced as a result of these changes. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Is the Minister satisfied that the current communications process has meant applicants have received timely and accurate information regarding her plans for the implementation of Whanau Ora? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I am aware that a number of participants in the process have been advised of the outcome with regard to their own organisations and that announcements of this very exciting Government initiative are expected on Friday. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: When does the Minister expect that the first group of Whanau Ora providers will be announced? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I expect that those first announcements will be made at the end of this week. The member will be interested to know that a total of 137 expressions of interest proposals were submitted and the submissions included around 350 providers from around the country. Nearly 40 percent of all the expressions of interest were submitted on behalf of provider collectives which is one of the more exciting elements of the outcome. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: What has been distinctive about the process of selecting Whanau Ora providers? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: What has been distinctive about the process of selecting Whanau Ora providers is the willingness of providers to come together with other groups including iwi authorities to concentrate on a Whanau Ora - centred approach. What has become clear is that community organisations working with family and whanau were frustrated with the bureaucratic and nonsense patronising approach of the previous Government and they are excited by the opportunities that Whanau Ora presents them and their communities. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Can the Minister confirm that Te Puni Kokiri has had a role in that process; if so why is not the Minister of Maori Affairs responding to the process questions that have been asked today? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I can confirm that Te Puni Kokiri has been involved in this process. I can also confirm that the Government makes decisions on who will answer questions on behalf of the Minister. The fact that I am answering this question on the Minister’s behalf indicates how this Government is working collectively in support of the Whanau Ora effort. We are not interested in silos like that failed party opposite.