News Jaya

Whanau Ora will be for whanau or a non-Maori family

The Māori Party has been granted $1 billion for Whanau Ora, a key policy as mentioned in National’s confidence and supply agreement with the Māori Party.

The Maori Party seeks significant outcomes in whanau ora, through eliminating poverty, advocating for social justice, and advancing Maori social, cultural, economic and community development in the best interests of the nation.

John Key has decided that the best interests of the nation in implementing this policy is to include non-Māori families as well, but implemented based on the Māori way of doing things . The former has infuriated the Māori Party, who wanted a Maori only policy. This was to be the big one.

Whanau Ora is really Maori-flavoured devolution. National has screwed the scrum. If a certain non-Māori family needs Whanau Ora more than a certain Māori family does, under this policy, which will be implemented from July, National thinks they should apply and get the benefits first. The Māori Party doesn’t, and it appears they'll have to lump it in one of their flagship policies.Tariana Turia doesn't want to force the "Maori viewpoint" on other families - and in any case these other families probably don't know what Turia will be referring to when she says "Maori viewpoint".