The Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka welcomes the Wellbeing Budget 2021

Whakarongo ki te tangi a te manu o te taiao

Nāna te tangi kia tuituia tatou ki te ao marama

Tuia ki runga

Tuia ki raro

Tuia ki roto

Tuia ki waho

Tuia te here tangata

Ka rongo te pō, ka rongo te ao

Te hono a wairua

Whakaputa ki Te Whaiao

Ki te ao Mārama

Tihei Māuri ora!

Today the Green Party’s Te Mātāwaka (Māori and Pasifika) caucus supported the 2021 Budget, acknowledging the investment in Māori health, Māori housing, Māori education, Māori media, Māori tourism and the prevention of family and sexual violence.

The Green Party has pushed for the full implementation of recognising te mana o te Tiriti o Waitangi which is evident in this year’s Budget. There is definitely more to do, but these first steps will set a precedent to address issues that affect tangata whenua.

“This year we announced six Pou Māori that will continue to be our focus to ensure whānau, hapū and iwi are involved in the decisions that affect them” says Green Party spokesperson for Māori Development, and Te Mātāwaka Chair Dr Elizabeth Kerekere.

“With a small team we are in Parliament to push for resources, acknowledgement and change for Māori and Pasifika communities. We will continue to do that, and welcome the initiatives announced for Māori and Pasifika today.

“Our very own Co-leader and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence and Associate Minister Housing (Homelessness) has been committed to get this right for whānau and hapū.

“We welcome $131.9 million investment in adaptive, strengths-based learning systems to expand kaupapa Māori providers for whānau and communities. I want to congratulate the Hon. Marama Davidson for holding the mana of our people in these spaces.”

Wins for Whānau Māori:

“We are proud that Minister Davidson worked with the Labour Māori caucus to ensure that $380 million is invested in putting our whānau, our mokopuna and tamariki into warm, dry and affordable homes. It helps address our priority to stop homelessness and restore Mana Motuhake to our people.

“Significant investment into the establishment of a Māori Health Authority gives Tā Mason Durie the resource he needs to build the Authority with mana enhancing tikanga, so Māori finally receive the care we deserve. Te Mātāwaka have been pushing since Waitangi Day for an Independent Māori Health Authority to be led by our experts and to acknowledge Tino Rangatiratanga. I will be advocating for a Takatāpui unit in that new Authority so that we can model to the new health system how to care for our Rainbow whānau.

In the meantime, we hope that the additional funding for DHBs and PHARMAC will help reduce the disparities Māori face in our current health system.

“I also want to mihi to the Government for realising the importance of our Māori media who ensure whānau are aware of what is going on in and around the rohe with issues that may affect them.

“The commitment to Māori education, our Kōhanga Reo, Māori Boarding schools, and a boost in the implementation of a Te Reo Māori strategy is a reflection of protecting whakapapa. This again is a win and Te Mātāwaka supports this.

“There is definitely more to be done but the investment into Te Ao Māori is significant so we tautoko the budget for Whānau Māori.

Pasifika Wellbeing a win:

The Green Party and Te Mātāwaka spokesperson for Pasifika Peoples Teanau Tuiono MP supports the wellbeing investment into our Pasifika communities.

“I welcome the $108 million boost for Pasifika-led initiatives. Pasifika people now have more revenue to gain employment, training and education that will boost the livelihood of our families.

“Pasifika whānau come to Aotearoa for better education and employment, which is supported through this budget.

“We’ll keep pushing for more support, but this is a win for our communities and I look forward to working with Pasifika Ministers so our communities can thrive.”

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