This page last modified 27 October 1999
HE PÜTAHITANGA HÖU
LABOUR ON MÄORI DEVELOPMENT
16 October 1999
Labour accepts the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand's founding document and as the basis of constitutional government in this country.
By signing that Treaty, the Crown guaranteed the rights of hapü and undertook to protect them. The Crown also recognised Mäori as co-signatories under the Articles of the Treaty. Labour is committed to fulfilling its obligations as a Treaty partner to support self determination for whänau, hapü, and iwi.
As Labour Leader I am personally committed to leading a nation where members of whänau, hapü and iwi have the opportunity to control their own development and achieve their own objectives and where the Treaty of Waitangi is well understood by all.
It is that relationship between the Crown and whänau, hapü and iwi which makes our country unique, and it is this relationship which must be strengthened to ensure that all resources available are contributing to Mäori economic, social and cultural development. This will require new approaches in the 21st century.
A significant part of developing the relationship further will be the settling of Treaty of Waitangi claims, but that must be achieved through a proper process that is fair to all. That is why Labour maintains its opposition to the fiscal envelope through which National attempted to set a capped budget from which all Treaty claims would be settled.
It is clear that mainstreaming as followed over the last nine years has further widened the 'gaps' between Mäori and other New Zealanders. Traditional bureaucracies have in the past been unable to support adequately whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori development. Policies which were designed to assist Mäori have failed because they did not take into account the traditional whänau, hapü and iwi structures of society in which power comes from the bottom up.
I believe that it is time to recognise and support whänau, hapü and iwi to find their own solutions. Direct resourcing Mäori programmes across the sectors will assist in achieving that goal.
This policy framework sets out Labour's plans for encouraging, supporting and assisting whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori to achieve long term economic and social development. To make self determination a reality, cultural development must underline all development. The new Ministry for Mäori Economic and Social Development must have a much broader mandate to work in all Mäori communities and with all government agencies.
This policy aims to empower whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori to be involved directly in their own development. The Crown will ensure that the resources are allocated fairly to make that happen.
Labour will support capacity building programmes within Mäoridom to ensure that the development and social initiatives which are undertaken can succeed.
My commitment to these policies is absolute. Closing the gaps between Mäori and other New Zealanders is a fundamental goal of the new Labour government.
Helen Clark
Labour Leader
Labour accepts the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand's founding document and as the basis of constitutional government in this country.
By signing that Treaty, the Crown guaranteed the rights of hapü and undertook to protect them. The Crown also recognised Mäori as co-signatories under the Articles of the Treaty. Labour is committed to fulfilling its obligations as a Treaty partner to support self determination for whänau, hapü and iwi.
Currently Mäori are over-represented in all the negative employment, housing, education, health, justice, social welfare and poverty statistics. Labour is determined to change that.
The objective for Labour is to close the 'gap', improve opportunity and support whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori development. This will require a comprehensive and holistic approach, which involves all Mäori communities as well as the whole range of government departments.
Labour knows it's time to act
Refocusing traditional bureaucracy
In the past, government has relied heavily on a traditional bureaucracy to provide it with advice on Mäori policy and to monitor the success, or otherwise, of Mäori programmes implemented by government agencies. The result of this has often been dissatisfaction by Mäori, either because they have not been well informed or because they do not believe that their real concerns regarding the effectiveness of programmes have been addressed, or that the outcomes achieved have not been satisfactory.
Mäori communities must be involved at all levels in developing solutions . Core Mäori policy advice structures need to be directly in touch with the needs of hapü, iwi and other community based groups.
To this end Labour will change significantly the focus and structure of Te Puni Kökiri. It will be renamed the Ministry for Mäori Economic and Social Development, and its principal focus will be capacity building within Mäori communities.
The Ministry will operate with two integrated directorates, an economic development directorate and a social development directorate. Economic development will drive the change needed to improve the social well being of Mäori.
It is vital that the social statistics are improved and to sustain this, Mäori must achieve economic independence. The Ministry will be expected to monitor progress towards this objective, and provide advice on government initiatives necessary to ensure that Mäori are able to productively utilise resources, strengthen whänau and capacity build.
The Ministry will be expected to solicit local knowledge about both needs and solutions. The relationships will be between the Crown represented by the Ministry and whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations. Whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations will work directly with the Ministry providing advice on local needs and proposed initiatives.
The task will be to create effective and practical economic and social policy that support cultural values to reverse the current negative trends. Successful models will stem from whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations, working in conjunction with government agencies.
The new Ministry will have responsibility for:
Relationship with other government agencies
Many of the policy initiatives that are necessary to reduce the gaps, will continue to be delivered through mainstream government agencies.
Labour believes it is essential that these agencies are held accountable for their performance in this regard, and that they are required to work closely with the Ministry for Mäori Economic and Social Development at all stages of the policy development and implementation process.
Under Labour, all government departments will be required to contribute to reducing the 'gaps'. Labour will require that a performance measure relating to this objective is included in the performance agreements of chief executives in each government department. This will improve the co-ordination of government initiatives relating to Mäori development.
Labour will:
Legislative change
The legislation currently governing Te Puni Kökiri restricts it to monitoring outcomes for Mäori. This has led to the Ministry being less effective than it could be in developing and implementing solutions, both of its own accord and with other government agencies.
Labour believes the new Ministry should have a broader mandate to implement solutions and to work with other government agencies at each of the development, budget allocation and implementation stages of policy.
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES
Capacity building
Research shows that results are best where indigenous people are able to determine their own way forward, and set their own priorities.
The key focus of the new Ministry for Mäori Economic and Social Development will be the comprehensive strengthening of whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori development.
In many areas whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations do not currently have the range of skills and experience necessary to assert control over their own development or to manage the delivery of a comprehensive range of services. It is also necessary to build up the skill base required to staff the range of Mäori trusts and other authorities, at the level of expertise necessary to deliver significant parts of government funded community based social service programmes.
The Ministry's objective will be to ensure that Mäori are participating and creating business development opportunities. Because Mäori do not have a recent history of strong involvement in the commercial sector, there is not a large bank of commercial skills amongst Mäori.
Labour is determined to address this and will fund a comprehensive programme spearheaded by the Ministry, to allow whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori to establish the needed skills and capacity for development. The research and planning required would be developed by the Ministry, but the organisations themselves will be expected to manage the process.
Labour will work with whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori communities in the development of regional strategic plans to co-ordinate the delivery of services nationwide.
In the first term, Labour will:
Direct resourcing
'By Mäori for Mäori' initiatives have been proven successful. Labour will move further in this direction by directly resourcing such initiatives.
Labour accepts that the state has a responsibility to ensure equitable resourcing of services and initiatives that contribute to, and strengthen, whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori development.
The mainstreaming policy as followed over recent years has failed whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori. Currently it is very difficult to assess accurately the amount of resources being devoted to Mäori programmes and initiatives. While health and education agencies are meant to be giving priority to Mäori programmes, there has been little evidence of progress.
Labour will:
Improving the accountability within Mäori communities
Labour recognises that as more resources are directed through whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations, it is important to ensure that they are properly mandated. Proper mandate will ensure that government and the hapü, iwi or Mäori organisation are acting responsibly and accountably to tax payers and members.
Labour will:
INCREASING MÄORI PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRACY
At a central government level
At the last election the country voted in favour of changing the electoral system to MMP. There has been an increase in the total number of Mäori seats. A beneficial effect of the change to MMP, has been the subsequent increase in the number of Mäori Members in the House. The new system will not guarantee that Mäori are represented in Parliament in proportion to numbers of the general population. Mäori representation should reflect the proportion of the total population. Better representation of Mäori on the lists of political parties will help to improve this instance.
Labour will ensure that there is fair Mäori and tängata whenua representation on statutory and other government agencies and advisory boards at a regional and national level.
The government has a role to increase the overall rate of Mäori enrolment. Mäori have a choice of whether to enrol on the Mäori roll or the general roll, many still do not enrol on either. Those people who are not enrolled are able to enrol on either roll at any time. The most effective way to get new voters to enrol is kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face).
Labour will:
At a local authority level
Labour believes that effective tängata whenua involvement in local government and its decision making is an important step to strengthening the Treaty relationship. In 1998 only 5.5 per cent of elected councillors were Mäori and there are no provisions in legislation which allow for specific Mäori seats on local authorities to be created. Labour believes communities should have the right to ensure tängata whenua representation on their local authorities if that is their wish.
Labour believes that effective tängata whenua involvement in local government and its decision-making is also important to improve local government responses to issues affecting tängata whenua.
Labour will:
Treaty of Waitangi Claims
Labour is committed to the Treaty settlement process and is committed to reaching a fair and just settlement on a case by case basis. Labour specifically rejects the fiscal envelope concept which would establish a specified sum to be available for the settlement of Treaty claims. Labour will continue to seek comprehensive settlements, we acknowledge, however, the legitimate voice of hapü and Labour will ensure their voice is not lost within the process.
Labour established the Waitangi Tribunal in 1975 and later extended its jurisdiction to ensure it could address grievances back to 1840. Currently the Tribunal has many more claims than it can possibly process within any reasonable time period at its present level of resourcing. Labour is determined the Tribunal will be able to meet its own work programme and priorities.
For claims to be settled effectively, negotiators on both sides need to have clear mandates and ensure members are informed on the progress of negotiations.
Labour is committed to conducting regular kanohi ki te kanohi enrolment census to enrol Mäori voters on the roll of their choice and will at the same time record electors' hapü and iwi. Once the first of these full census has been conducted Labour will expect that all iwi members registered are involved in determining the mandate for claims negotiations.
Once this mandate has been established, Labour will negotiate in good faith with iwi negotiators with the confidence that all beneficiaries within the claim have been appropriately consulted.
Labour will:
Criminal justice
Labour is concerned at the high rate of Mäori offending. There are a whole raft of causes. Labour will focus on education, intervention, prevention and rehabilitation programmes to address these issues.
There is a concern that far too many Mäori are being imprisoned. Piloting comprehensive restorative justice schemes is considered to be an excellent alternative to prison.
Labour will:
The number of drug addiction programmes run in prisons also needs to be increased. Labour will expand programmes, such as those at Arohata and Wai Keria, which are based on therapeutic communities that have proven effective in the United States in ending drug addiction and stopping re-offending.
Labour will also promote conflict resolution peer mediation and anti-violence programmes in all schools and marae.
MÄORI TRUSTEE
Whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori development demands the effective and efficient use of all available resources. This must include the Mäori Trust Office and the Mäori Trustee. The role and operations of the Mäori Trustee and the Mäori Trust Office will be reviewed to identify how best they can contribute to overall development. To ensure this is achieved, whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations must be involved in the development of all options to be considered.
Labour will:
MÄORI LAND COURT
The Mäori Land Court was established as a court of record. Through Te Ture Whenua Mäori Act 1993 it was refocused to promote and assist in the retention of Mäori land in the hands of Mäori and the effective use, management, and development by or on behalf of owners.
The Mäori Land Court has a significant backlog of cases and a better process needs to be developed to support its work. Mäori Land Court proceedings demand an in-depth understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and issues regarding tüpuna land.
Labour will:
HOUSING
Decent housing is fundamental to the health and well being of Mäori, yet many whänau are currently living in totally inadequate conditions.
Because of low socio-economic status and discrimination Mäori have traditionally been heavily dependent on public housing assistance. Significant proportions of state house tenants are Mäori. Consequently the policy of market rentals and the commercialisation of Housing New Zealand have significantly disadvantaged Mäori.
Labour is committed to improving housing conditions for whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori in state housing by:
Housing for Mäori communities
There is a housing crisis for whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori in rural areas of New Zealand. Whänau who are trying to survive on benefits or low incomes often find it impossible to pay the rent demanded for accommodation in the city. This has led many Mäori to move back to rural areas.
For this reason Labour recognises there are specific Mäori housing issues which need to be addressed, on top of the general improvement in state housing conditions.
Labour will:
Special Housing Action Zones
Much of the land available to whänau, hapü, iwi for housing in rural areas is multiply owned. In the past this has made it difficult for families to build and own their own homes because banks have not been willing to approve mortgages against such land.
Now there are whole communities living on such land in conditions that range from inadequate to totally intolerable. This problem can not be solved individually by the families because often the cost of the land and other necessary infrastructure development is prohibitive for a single family. But if those costs are shared amongst the whole community and the housing is developed in a planned way for the whole community, home ownership becomes feasible.
The Ministry for Mäori Economic and Social Development will work with relevant government departments, local authorities and whänau, hapü, iwi and Mäori organisations to identify within Mäori communities their specific housing priorities as part of the wider social development goals of those Mäori communities.
Labour will:
The community housing plan will, wherever possible, include plans for community members to be actively involved in the construction of the houses and will include programmes to train community members in both house maintenance and budgeting.
Funding for the implementation of these plans will be provided from Housing New Zealand on terms determined as part of the plan for each area.
MÄORI HEALTH
The Treaty of Waitangi has a fundamental position in New Zealand society and this has been increasingly acknowledged in policy.
The Treaty has special relevance in health because it is clear that the intention of the Treaty was to ensure the well being of all residents and particularly that of tängata whenua. (Note the preamble to Treaty; re Normanby's instruction to Hobson). Processes of good government, self determination and development of hapü and iwi resources as well as participation and equity are all identified.
The Treaty of Waitangi also represents the significant relationship between tängata whenua and the Crown. It establishes aspects of how co-existence in Aotearoa might be implemented.
Tängata whenua have made a significant contribution to the health sector and its development by:
Despite the acknowledgement of the significance of the Treaty of Waitangi, experience has shown that the principles of the Treaty are subject to ever changing health bureaucracies.
Historical contractual agreements regarding land gifted for hospitals in return for free health services become subsumed when resources are passed from the Crown to Hospitals and new contractual arrangements for services that were once provided by hospitals free, are now contracted to general practitioners.
The Treaty of Waitangi will continue to be seen by tängata whenua as a suitable framework within which to consider health, especially in regard to the relationship between tängata whenua and the Crown as equal, sovereign signatories to the Treaty.
Introduction
There are growing disparities between Mäori and non Mäori and this is mirrored in significant gaps in health status. Labour recognises evidence that shows that economic, social and cultural factors are the most important determinants of good health. Income and poverty, employment and occupation, education, housing, culture, and ethnicity, are the social and economic factors that have been shown, in a variety of settings, to have the greatest influence on health.
Tängata whenua are concentrated in low income bands, with almost 60 per cent having personal income of less than $15,000. The national average unemployment rate for tängata whenua is approximately 18 per cent. In some parts of the country there are as many as 40 per cent tängata whenua unemployed. Over 60 per cent of tängata whenua are functioning below the level of literacy required to effectively meet the demands of everyday life. In 1996, 39 per cent of tängata whenua left school with no qualifications.
Tängata whenua are living in damp, overcrowded and cold living conditions. In recent years there has been an increase in hospital admissions for meningococcal disease, respiratory infections, tuberculosis and rheumatic fever. High housing costs mean that there is less money for essentials such as food, clothing, access to health services and access to education.
New Zealand evidence suggests that ethnic and cultural inequalities in health can, in a large part, be attributed to inequalities in the underlying socio-economic determinants of health.
There is a belief that if you have strong family, cultural, and community ties that the health of the people is better. Yet for tängata whenua, while their general wellbeing is better, their health status continues to be poor. Unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, cigarette smoking, poor diet and attitudes, all contribute to the negative situation tängata whenua are in.
While governments have claimed to be addressing these gaps, evidence shows that current policies have had little impact. Therefore Labour sees the opportunity to allow Mäori to develop their own innovations.
Recent health provider development has been fragmented, as it has been based on mirroring existing providers. The development of Mäori health services providers is more effective when carried out in conjunction with the development of other social and business arrangements. This prevents fragmentation and the creation of further gaps in provision of services.
The integration of health services must be part of the wider improvements to whänau, hapü and iwi. The effective management of care for whänau has to take into account their economic and social situation. All of this has to be managed within a cultural framework that recognises every individual's cultural identity, values, and belief systems as well as their need for quality and safety. This model is based on whänaungatanga that emphasises the collective effort for the greater good of the whänau or the whänaunga being the outcome.
Primary Health
Labour is committed to improving the health status of Mäori by:
Strengthening of communities: capacity building
Labour will:
Addressing the wider issues
Labour will:
Disability support services
There is a high level of Mäori who do not access disability support services. Those who are eligible are disadvantaged because of the restrictive criteria for help. Many fall through the service provision gaps because of the fragmentation of services and too many providers. Services of this nature should be grafted onto existing Mäori services, particularly those that are focused on whänau wellbeing.
Labour will:
Rangitahi health
Programmes for Mäori youth need to have a holistic and culturally appropriate approach. Key issues for rangatahi Mäori are:
Programmes developed for the education of these issues need to be focused on the positive aspects of life, culturally affirming and encouraging positive behaviours. This includes addressing the causes.
Developing music and the arts, sport and recreational and arts and craft for rangatahi where these positive messages are all part of the environment that will have a very positive effect on these young people.
All of this has to be related to developing employment opportunities for rangatahi: otherwise the impetus is lost if they are to remain unemployed and exposed to a life of poverty and unable to participate fully in their communities.
Mäori youth require services that are:
Services must be provided for:
MÄORI MENTAL HEALTH - HINENGARO HAUORA
Mental Health is a priority for Labour. The disparities in mental health status between Mäori and non Mäori must be eliminated.
The New Zealand Mental Health Strategy will be consistent with Treaty principles and reflect the unique needs of tängata whenua. This commitment to providing better mental health services for Mäori must be translated into tangible and culturally appropriate mental health outcomes and recovery for Mäori.
Labour will provide the leadership in mental health called for by the Mason Inquiry. In the development of the New Zealand Mental Health Strategy, Mäori will have a full voice. Real improvements in mental health need to be measured against an over-arching mental health strategy. The current government's strategy is flawed because it concentrates on the delivery of services and fails to address the range of economic, social, educational and cultural factors, which impact on mental health. Labour's approach is to link the broader range of policies, including social policy such as housing, employment, income, and education policies, into a mental health strategy, and ensure the implementation of the full strategy.
Labour is committed to implementing the Blue Print for Mental Health. Mäori must be able to access mental health services that are aligned to cultural expectations. To achieve this, there must be an increase in the number of trained Mäori mental health workers.
Workforce development
Mäori are significantly under-represented in the professionally qualified mental health workforce. This has resulted in reduced opportunities for cultural difference to be appreciated in assessment, treatment, support, and education for recovery. There has to be a short term and long term strategy to address this issue as the situation is urgent for tängata whaiora. A substantial Mäori workforce must have some presence in all kaupapa Mäori and mainstream services with the knowledge base and the clinical skills. The establishment of Mäori provider skills in administration and management is also imperative. here is ample evidence to show how the cultural background of providers influences the results that they achieve.
Labour will:
Alcohol and drug services to Mäori with mental illness
Alcohol and drug abuse psychosis make up 32 per cent of all first admissions. Drug misuse is not addressed in current psychiatric services when Mäori present acutely and are treated only for mental illness. Mäori do not access services early enough and those with mental illness and alcohol and drug problems are disadvantaged. There needs to be comprehensive and integrated treatment approaches across the range of services such as:
All services must be effective for Mäori with both conditions and include kaupapa Mäori practices.
Mainstream service provision
Labour will:
Kaupapa Mäori services
Labour is committed to the ongoing development of kaupapa Mäori services that offer a range of treatment and support services. These include: