Waititi Rawiri; Little AndrewRAWIRI WAITITI (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori): Thank you Madam Chair. Tēnā koe e te Minita. The current mental health system has been deeply rooted in Western science and it continues like I said in my maiden speech to keep my people sick. We know that New Zealand's health system fails Māori. We can see this significantly in the staggering statistics that Māori are overrepresented in. The Ministry of Health figures show there were 31.7 suicides per 100000 Māori males in 2016 more than twice that of the non-Māori male rate of 14.3 per 100000. The rate for Māori women was 10.1 per 100000 in 2016 which was just over double the non-Māori female rate of 4.9 per 100000 people. Our mental health statistics are getting worse and they're getting worse because the health system is rooted in Western science and built on identifying the killer Ds": disease dysfunction deficits and disorders. Mental health funding is based on volume. The more sick people there are the more money the Crown health agency rewards itself with therefore the "killer Ds" will guarantee your place in the funding banquet to feast on the disease dysfunction deficits and disorders caused by this Westernised science model.Māori have been conditioned to believe through the Westernised science model and messaging that we can't cope with life and we as Māori cannot fix our own problems. That has led us to believe that we can no longer turn to our whānau our natural support systems. As a result we have been colonised into undervaluing our own systems rooted in mātauranga Māori our power to create our own oranga. This solution is in Māori models of care like Whānau Ora who received no funding in this latest Budget. This is backed by a massive body of research that supportive relationships and networks motivation fostering and building pre-existing skills and resources focusing on strengths connecting with whānau having high hopes and expectations and being helped with a plan tailored to their needs are the key ingredients necessary for someone to overcome their struggles. These key ingredients are what make up the kaupapa of Whānau Ora. Why? Because it is rooted in mātauranga Māori. From experience I have witnessed amazing shifts in the confidence of our whānau through focusing on these areas. Therefore all the Māori mental health funding should be devolved to a by Māori for Māori approach to Māori kaupapa like Whānau Ora to ensure effective enduring caring and inclusive Māori models of care which are rooted in mātauranga Māori. Thank you Minister.Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): Madam Chair thank you. I thank the member for his contribution. And I think what I take from that intervention is what we know is that there is a lot in mātauranga Māori when it comes to health that we are not acknowledging respecting and putting into practice to the benefit of Māori. That is why the Māori Healthy Authority will not only have an essential role to play in leadership of kaupapa Māori health but also be implementing it as well having the power to fund new ways new services alongside the many kaupapa Māori health services that are being funded at the moment.That is about respecting—I think what I've observed as I've got around is those Māori health practitioners who have that amazing skill of fusing. They impart their Western knowledge but with their mātauranga Māori as well and create very powerful and very effective solutions for their people. So I think—not I think but there will be huge opportunity for that. When I get around and I meet the Māori health leaders there is amazing talent ready to be harnessed and ready to make their contribution and make their place in our broader health system. That's just about recognising that when it comes to the human condition and humanity there is no single way and for those for whom both a scientific a medicinal and a spiritual response is required then they'll have the opportunity to have that and have all that woven together for a much stronger response and in the end for the benefit of all Aotearoa New Zealand a much stronger health system overall."