Turia Tariana: Address in Reply 
Turia Tariana: Address in Reply 
[Volume:677;Page:412] 
Hon TARIANA TURIA (Co-Leader—Maori Party) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker Tisch. Tena tatou katoa. In the Speech from the Throne there was one simple statement that revealed the next steps in progressing our transformation agenda. As agreed with the Maori Party a separate appropriation and governance structure will be established for Whanau Ora. This statement was a signal to us all that Government has confidence in Whanau Ora as an approach that is premised on delivering better results for w’anau. In the relationship accord that confidence is articulated further: “to support the evolving focus and ongoing implementation of Whanau Ora.”  
Today I want to share some of our learning and our successes in the journey of w’anau transformation. The sheer numbers of w’anau engaged is one tangible measure of the enthusiasm with which New Zealand families are taking up these opportunities. We have 25 provider collectives representing 160 provider organisations currently delivering to and engaging w’anau and families. At least 2000 w’anau plans representing more than 15000 family members have set their w’anau planning activities in motion through involvement in the Whanau Integration Innovation and Engagement Fund. In addition 1000 w’anau are actively navigated to access existing services through our 25 provider collectives.  
 But although the numbers are important the overriding interest for me has been the outcomes. Are we seeing successful w’anau across a broad range of situations? Let us be clear: this is high-risk business with a potential for a high return. There is no quick-fix solution to achieve the well-being of families.  
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. In accordance with numerous Speakers’ rulings and Standing Orders I ask that the member table the speech instead of reading it.  
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: Let us be clear: this is high-risk business with a potential for high return. There is no quick-fix solution to achieve the well-being of families but we have to invest time energy and resources in family to be self-managing. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Order! We have a point of order from the Hon Trevor Mallard. I ask the member to resume her seat please. The decision of the Standing Orders Committee late last year which is now to be commonplace within the House is that speeches are not to be read. That is why the Hon Trevor Mallard asked that the speech be tabled. We can refer to speeches but we cannot read them verbatim. So I ask the member in her remaining time to use it as guidance for her speech rather than reading it verbatim. She can just refer to it in the context of which she wishes to speak this afternoon. 
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We were not advised of the change to the Standing Orders to say that speeches could not be written and spoken to in the House and— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I ask the member to resume her seat. Last year the last thing before the House adjourned was that the new Standing Orders of Parliament were actually adopted by the House. So from this year on this is what is going to be the accepted practice. If you are hearing this for the first time I say to all members that in future they must only refer to their speech notes as opposed to a Minister who may be speaking directly to a bill in their name. The exception also was for new members who are making their maiden speeches. That is the ruling and I ask the member to just use the notes that she has as reference points for the balance of her speech. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. One other point is that it was a decision of the Standing Orders Committee on which Mr Flavell was her representative.  
Hon Tau Henare 
: I am wondering whether we can get around this because it is obviously a new Standing Order. It has obviously passed some of us by and maybe with the good grace of the House now that we do know we could start tomorrow afresh.  
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: In order to join my friend in his suggestion rather than start tomorrow maybe it could be from the end of this speech. I seek leave for the Minister currently reading her speech to be allowed to complete her speech reading it.  
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is no objection.  
Hon TARIANA TURIA 
: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker and thank you to the House.  
I would dare anyone in this Chamber to declare raising families to be a walk in the park because we all know the challenges that come with raising children in today’s world. The circumstances of daily life can at times be very stressful even for the best of families and for some families their circumstances become overwhelming. There are so many compounding factors with poverty underpinning most factors. Successive administrations have attempted to intervene in circumstances of crisis but too many times the intervention itself has simply created another obstacle in the path of the family in need. A brave Government would admit that the State is not the ultimate solution; a bold Government would be prepared to put its trust in the people to acknowledge their potential and to enable w’anau to set their own direction to make change happen.  
This indeed is the hub of the political challenge: to find the point of equilibrium between prudent accountability of public funds and an environment to support the diversity of w’anau aspirations. I want to remind those who have spoken out in anger against what they see as a one-man crusade to undermine Whanau Ora that Whanau Ora has always been about more than politicians and political parties. Indeed it has never relied on Parliament as a moral guarantor and nor should it for essentially the success of Whanau Ora has been due to a rising tide of confidence in local solutions that we trace back over many many decades. It has emerged from the momentum of w’anau to create a secure foundation for our mokopuna to benefit from and the majority of our w’anau do this without State intervention.  
Whanau Ora did not just come along in 2012. We saw the genesis of the approach in Puao-te-ata-tu in Tu Tangata in the kohanga reo movement and in the Hui Taumata of 1984. The call was broad for w’anau hapu and iwi to determine run and control their own initiatives. The funding for these moves would come from the so-called negative spending that went into picking up the pieces.  
A fundamental premise in this journey was to encourage the State to place faith in the capacity of families to achieve outcomes that could lead to their full participation within society. This has not changed a generation on in our current environment where there has been significant change in our economic social and cultural environment.  
This journey is predicated on an investment in an indigenous approach an approach based on Maori cultural foundations built round a communal approach to well-being. Indeed it has been available to all who want to participate in this approach and we have been there before. Indeed in this House 21 years ago in April 1991 a politician rose in the appropriation debate to give voice to a view that might well have come out of Whanau Ora. The Minister of Maori Affairs at that time said that “It was not for central government to determine for tribes their shape their character or their form—and that policy was supported by Maoridom. The Government would work in a voluntary way with every tribe with every subtribe even with family but it would be oppressive and culturally offensive to hold out the taxpayers’ cheque-book and say ‘Either you conform or we don’t deal with you.’.” That politician was Winston Peters and I hope he can appreciate the contribution that  
Ka Awatea 
 also made to a journey that we are now seeing the fruits of through the success of Whanau Ora.  
I said before that Whanau Ora is a high-risk business. Why would it not be when we know the impact that circumstances can have on already fragile lives? But if it is high risk it is also high return and that return has been evidenced in three ways. We have seen strategic leadership and regional championing bringing together knowledge expertise and experience of community members and Government processes to benefit the well-being of w’anau. We are observing systemic change progressive and incremental success demonstrated by integrated contracts multi-year funding multi-year planning and the accompanying action research to inform quality improvement and to evidence outcomes. Most importantly we are seeing the value benefit and success of w’anau transformation as they build their capability and become the vehicle for their own change.  
Whanau Ora is about transforming our futures. It is being realised in outcomes across social cultural and economic dimensions. One of the most significant aspects is the planning to create intergenerational transfers of knowledge and values to put an end to cycles of despair and to pave a way in which w’anau aspirations are able to be fostered. Our next steps are in extending Whanau Ora to the Kaipara Hauraki South Waikato Taupo Turangi Palmerston North Wairarapa Levin the Kapiti Coast and Murihiku. We are championing an inclusive approach—an approach that is driven by a focus on outcomes—and that approach although fundamental to the opportunities and gains for w’anau also comes back to Government.  
And so I conclude my contribution today with an assurance to the House that we can have every confidence in the Whanau Ora approach and that it will continue to evolve. Despite the amount of resourcing distributed across Government departments and to a range of agencies there is an unfair expectation that Whanau Ora is the panacea for everything. We all have the responsibility to be responsive and to practise whanau ora. It can begin with us all modelling hope and placing value in a vision for tomorrow—the translation of our highest hopes into strong w’anau who will lead communities throughout Aotearoa. Thank you.