Ririnui Mita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Ririnui Mita: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:656;Page:5321] 
9.  
Hon MITA RIRINUI (Labour) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: He aha nga whakapaitanga kei te rapua e ia mo te hauora me te oranga o nga tamariki me nga whanau Maori? 
[ 
What steps is she taking to improve the health and well-being of Maori tamariki and their whanau? 
] 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
 on behalf of the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: Kei roto i nga kaupapa o Te Manatu Hauora nga tikanga hei whainga kia tautokohia nga whanau kia tae ake ki te taumata o te ora. Ko taku ki te mema tirohia taua kaupapa. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
The honourable Minister Tariana Turia states that support for families to achieve maximum health and well being is in the Ministry of Health’s statement of intent. I refer the honourable member to it. 
]  
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: Ki te Minita ano he aha a ia i tautoko i te whakakahore o te hotaka hua rakau o roto i nga kura nga hotaka HEHA me te putea a nga kura mo te kai ora ahakoa ko te matehuka me te mate momona tinana te tino mate o nga tamariki Maori otira ko te mahi o nga hotaka kua whakakorengia he arai atu i enei mate? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Why did the Minister vote to scrap the Fruit in Schools programme the Healthy Eating - Healthy Action programme and the Nutrition Fund when one of the biggest threats to the health of Maori children is diabetes and obesity which all these now scrapped programmes were aimed at preventing? 
] 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I can advise the member that the Associate Minister has not voted to scrap the Fruit in Schools programme; in fact the Fruit in Schools programme will continue. What the Government is concerned about is that in the last year the programme cost $12 million but only $6 million was spent on the fruit. We think that more effective use could be made of those resources. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatau katoa. Ki te Minita Tuarua me pehea e taea ai e te whanau ora te hapai i te hauora me te noho ora o nga tamariki Maori me wa ratau whanau?  
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
How will the work of the Whanau Ora task force advance the health and well-being of Maori tamariki and their whanau? 
]  
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The priority of the task force is to review funding and delivery policies as they relate to whanau to ensure that the interconnectedness of health education welfare employment and lifestyle aspects of whanau well-being are taken into account. We know that the best outcomes for whanau will be arrived at through a holistic approach and such an approach is often the most cost-effective and efficient way of delivering services for whanau. 
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: Ki te Minita ano kei te tu kaha tonu ano ia i runga i te mana tana korero e penei na “Me ata titiro tatau kahore he kaupapa here o te Kawanatanga hei whakataumaha i te oranga o a tatou tamariki.” mena ka ki ae he aha ai a ia i tautoko taumaha tamariki me o ratou whanau ma te tapahi i te hotaka hauora putea tautoko me te huarahi whai matauranga hoki? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
To the Minister again does she stand by her statement that “We must ensure that no policy of this government creates greater hardship for our children.”; if so why did she vote to cut health programmes financial support and educational opportunities? 
] 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: No such claims can be made and justified. That member will recall that he was in a Government where his health Minister David Cunliffe cut over $100 million out of health programmes including $26 million cut from public health promotion. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Ki te Minita he aha nga mea kua oti nei i a ia kia eke te maiatanga a-hauora mo te iwi Maori ki tona teiteitanga? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
To the Minister what action has he taken to ensure that the health potential of Maori is maximised? 
] 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I can reply that at the Maori Tobacco Intelligence Summit in May the very busy Associate Minister announced that she would be reviewing smoking cessation services to ensure that they support improved health outcomes for Maori. She has also asked the Ministry of Health to focus its work to make sure it works for Maori including reducing the incidence and impact of cancer on Maori ensuring high-quality interventions for diabetes and cardiovascular conditions and providing early detection screening and quality integrated primary health care services. The major initiative that the Minister is leading is the ground-breaking Whanau Ora approach which will completely redesign the way that services are provided to whanau. 
Hon Mita Ririnui 
: Ki te Minita ano he aha tona korero ki nga whanau Maori mena ka whakahe ratou ki te kaupapa here hauora o tenei Kawanatanga ka kore e ia e tohatoha atu i o ratou ritenga ki nga nupepa me nga reo irirangi o te motu pera ano i tona Minita a Paula Peneti? 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
To the Minister again what assurances can she give Maori families that she will not follow the precedent of Paula Bennett and release personal health-related details about individuals to the media if by chance they make a complaint against the health system? 
] 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I can give the member an assurance from the Associate Minister that she will ensure that public debate is fully informed on all the matters that they need to be aware of. I know that the Associate Minister works very very constructively with Minister Bennett in her other portfolios but her main focus is on improving services for Maori and particularly on the development of Whanau Ora.