Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Thank you Mr Chair. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the last two contributions.To Brooke van Velden—and I know the ACT Party has never been shy about saying they want to remove the Māori Health Authority—it's interesting that she talks about all New Zealanders being treated equally but the reality is the health system does not currently and has not ever treated every New Zealander equally and you cannot say everybody is treated equally when Māori on average die seven years earlier than European Pākehā. You cannot say everybody is being treated equally when Māori are twice as likely as European Pākehā to die of cancer. They are not being treated fairly or equitably. Equity isn't about everybody being treated the same; it's about everybody being treated according to their needs. That is why I'm very proud that in the Budget a couple of weeks ago—and we're proud of the work my colleague the Hon Peeni Henare did in making sure that the bowel screening programme is changed so that Māori who statistically and epidemiologically—Hon Carmel Sepuloni: And Pacific.Hon ANDREW LITTLE: —and Pacific—get bowel cancers earlier in life now will enter the bowel screening programme earlier than others because that's the sensible but most importantly equitable thing to do. That's what health equity looks like.Now you can all ask about how we got to this point but the reality is the Crown has not honoured its obligations under Te Tiriti. It hasn't not listened to Māori. Māori need to be at the decision-making table and will be and this is where I disagree with my friend Rawiri Waititi. Actually this model—this structure that this bill provides for—puts Māori at every decision-making table in the health system that they need to be at.This is a partnership and we can see it in action already in the interim Māori Health Authority and interim Health New Zealand. The way that they have been operating has in my view exceeded my expectations. They are working hand in glove. They are the partners—not the Treaty partners but they are partners in delivering health services with a very strong Māori voice and they're still strengthening they're still building they're still working and Health New Zealand is inheriting all the palaver from the DHB system.It's interesting that Brooke van Velden should ask who the Māori Health Authority is. I can give her a hand: it's a co-chaired by Sharon Shea and Tipa Mahuta two outstanding Māori leaders. Both with quite different styles but outstanding Māori leaders. Do you want to know who's on the board? Dr Sue Crengle outstanding health practitioner from down South. Dr Mataroria Lyndon a really talented young health practitioner. I see his name all over the place these days; I'm sure Dr Shane Reti knows him—a very talented and very high-powered intellect in Dr Mataroria Lyndon. I'm not going to mention every name but I will mention one other who Rawiri Waititi might know and that's Awerangi Durie. She's also on the board—Hon Willie Jackson: His family. Hon ANDREW LITTLE: —turns out to be whānau of Rawiri Waititi. These are the really talented leaders in Te Ao Māori. As I get around and I meet health leaders of all stripes and all kinds I can tell you the Māori health leaders—and we've always had excellent Māori health leaders. You go back to the Sir Māui Pōmares and the Sir Peter Bucks. This is a country that has been blessed with outstanding Māori leadership in health. We've got them in bucket-loads and they will now have a place to stand and a place to be and an authority now that will take Māori health and drive it and make it better for everybody.So to Rawiri Waititi I would invite him to look at the total structure that is being established here: the Māori Health Authority supported by the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards—that is driven right out of iwi and urban Māori. Then the Hauora Māori advisory committee which is not in this part; it's in a different part but it stands with that sort of structure. I am required as Minister to refer to the Hauora Māori advisory council. When I exercise various of my powers particularly those where I do continue to exercise them under the Crown Entities Act and the powers I have in relation to the Māori Health Authority under this bill I have to refer to the Hauora Māori advisory council. That strengthens the Māori voice. That brings the Māori voice close to or right alongside the Minister when it comes to making those decisions. If there are disagreements between the Māori Health Authority and Health New Zealand—because there's a lot of stuff they have to work together on and agree on—then I don't get to resolve that alone. I refer to my colleagues the Minister for Māori Development and the Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti.The voice of is Māori is strengthened at every step and at every level of the health system. That is what we need to drive health equity for Māori and I stand very proud of these provisions in the bill that do that.