The Waitangi Tribunal has confirmed it will hold hearings into the disestablishment of Te Aka Whai Ora, led by Lady Tureiti Moxon.
The Wai 3307 claim has been elevated to a stage two priority hearing, despite Crown attempts to “delay” the inquiry until the release of the proposed Hauora Māori Strategy in June.
The Tribunal also rejected the Crown’s request to narrowly limit the scope of the inquiry, stating it must consider the full implications of structural changes to Māori health provision.
Moxon says there was no evidence to justify last year’s decision to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora.
“To be honest they had nothing in mind, they basically wanted to assimilate us back into a pākehā system.”
Lady Tureiti, Managing Director of Te Kōhao Health in Waikato and Chair of the National Urban Māori Authority, and co-claimant Janice Kuka, Managing Director of Ngā Mataapuna Oranga in Tauranga, say Māori health providers are already suffering the severe consequences of the Crown’s decision.
The co-claimants believe the Crown has failed to produce a coherent or transparent alternative plan since disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, despite having years to prepare.
Moxon says the agency was not given enough time to demonstrate results.
“It was far too early, really to allow the opportunity for Te Aka Whai Ora to find its wings and to grow its wings. So, basically, what they did, they decided, based on one negative report, when if you have a look at how many negative reports the Crown has in terms of their ministries is phenomenal.”
Kua roa e whanga mai ana
Kua tekau mā rima marama Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi e tatari ana ki ngā mōhiohio o te karauna.
Ka mutu, ko tā ngā kaikerēme e tohe nei, ki te kore rātou e kite i tētahi rautaki whai kiko a te karauna i te marama o Mei, me whakatau Te Rōpū Whakamana i tēnei take i runga i ngā taunakitanga o te wā.
Ko te manatu taunaki i tēnei tono tiriti, he mea tautoko e tētahi kāhui o ngā rōia Māori. Ko tā rātou e māharahara nei, kei ngaro haere te mana whakahaere a te Māori ki āna rautaki hauora.
E ai ki a Moxon, mā te take kōti nei e takapau horanui ai ngā tirohanga a tēnā, a tēnā.
“For the Waitangi Tribunal, it will be an opportunity for them to hear their side of the story, well for all of us to hear their side of the story, which isn’t very convincing from my perspective. But, to give them a chance to do that and also give us the chance to say what destruction they have created and caused.”
