Foreword from Ministers

Tēnā tātou katoa, otirā koutou e whaiwāhi ana ki tēnei Pānui Whāinga a te Kāwanatanga, mō ngai Māori.

Since I became Minister of Māori Affairs in November 2008 Te Puni Kōkiri has supported me well in delivering on this Government’s priorities.

In the last year I introduced Whānau Social Assistance programmes delivered through the Ministry’s regional office network. We now have a network of whānau advocates (Kaitoko Whānau) in communities to liaise with whānau and community groups to work with our families that are experiencing hardship.

A Māori Economic Taskforce was established to progress responses to the economic downturn. That Taskforce has had a busy year and have commenced a number of initiatives that will enhance the Māori economy.

Building on those key initiatives, a number of key priorities have been agreed by Government that will be the focus for Te Puni Kōkiri over the medium term.

Implementation of the Whānau Ora policy across a wide range of Māori communities

Te Puni Kōkiri has been tasked as the lead agency for implementation of Whānau Ora and will have direct accountability for the specific Whānau Ora appropriations. As Minister responsible for Te Puni Kōkiri, I look forward to a close working relationship with the Minister Responsible for Whānau Ora, and other Ministers instrumental in this new approach. As a key priority for Te Puni Kōkiri, the appropriate effort, resource and leadership will be assigned to ensure the success of Whānau Ora, reflecting the commitment of Te Puni Kōkiri to leading the achievement of better outcomes for whānau.

Undertaking a comprehensive review of Māori language activity and funding across Government

Te Puni Kōkiri will work with the co-operation of the Ministry of Education to undertake a joint review of Māori language funding and activity across government. I expect that this work will culminate in the development of a revised Māori Language Strategy and possible recommendations for structural change.

Achieving economic development opportunities for Māori through a focus on growing the Māori asset base

The overall goal of Government as a whole is to grow the New Zealand economy in order to deliver greater prosperity, security and opportunities for all New Zealanders. Within this, Te Puni Kōkiri has a dual focus on fostering opportunities to grow and better utilise the Māori asset base, and supporting Māori business resiliency.

Working alongside the Māori Economic Taskforce Te Puni Kōkiri will work on initiatives that result in more value added in the Māori economy and taking Māori assets to the world, in particular;

• Increased investment towards skills and training;
• Strengthening the Māori tourism sector;
• Supporting Māori innovation and science;
• Promoting Māori businesses and services internationally, through the development of a Māori Brand;
• A Māori business presence at the Shanghai Expo 2010 and related activities; and
• Increased capability for Māori trade promotion particularly through opportunities for inter-indigenous trade.

Repealing the Foreshore and Seabed legislation and putting in place a new regime -Te Puni Kōkiri will be expected to undertake a more significant facilitation and brokerage role and be involved in related matters likely to include foreshore and seabed negotiations.

Making real progress in engaging with Māori prior to any constitutional review and reform – Te Puni Kōkiri will undertake the facilitation of informed dialogue among Māori to ascertain and scope the issues for inclusion in the review, for which they will participate in the overall review process.

Continuing support for progressing Treaty settlements towards 2014 – Te Puni Kōkiri has specific responsibilities within the settlement process, including advising Ministers on mandate assessment, and ratification of settlement offers and post-settlement governance entities. In addition, they provide local level support to claimant groups, with a particular emphasis on mandate strategies, and the facilitation of inter and intra iwi disputes that would otherwise risk negotiations progress.

As the Minister responsible for Vote: Māori Affairs, I look forward to a close working relationship with other portfolio Ministers to achieve positive results for whānau and Māori. This Statement of Intent gives all readers a good feel for how Te Puni Kōkiri will support me to do this.

I am also pleased to enjoy a positive working relationship with the Associate Minister of Māori Affairs, the Hon Georgina te Heuheu, and look forward to working together with Te Puni Kōkiri to ensure our collective success in achieving the priorities of Government.

Mauri ora ki a koutou katoa.

Hon Dr Pita R Sharples
Minister of Māori Affairs

 

E aku rangatira, e mihi atu ki a koutou mō tēnei mahi e pā ana ki te iwi Māori.

The Māori Affairs portfolio is a key component of delivering on the Government’s priorities of growing the New Zealand economy and delivering greater prosperity, security and wellbeing to all New Zealanders.

The principles that will guide the Government’s approach in increasing Māori participation in the economy are the recognition of property rights and personal responsibility; economic independence and choice; less state involvement in Māori lives through community empowerment; the nurturing of strong families, whānau and community; and engagement in wealth creation, business and enterprise.

Making progress toward completing Treaty settlements by 2014 is a key priority that will have flow on effects into all other areas of Māori and iwi endeavour. In particular, it will create a strong platform to enable Māori and the Crown to move forward together with a shared vision.

The importance of growing and nurturing strong families, whānau and communities is also critical to the Government’s priorities. The introduction of the Whānau Ora approach to Government service delivery recognises the potential within families, whānau and communities to reassert their own independence and wellbeing.

I am pleased that Te Puni Kōkiri will be leading the implementation of Whānau Ora.

In his foreword the Minister of Māori Affairs has set out, in some detail, the Government’s priorities. I expect that, in all these priorities, the Ministry will contribute to the Government’s wider goal of better, smarter public services, for less, by maintaining a focus on cost effectiveness.

I look forward to working with the Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples and the Minister Responsible for Whānau Ora, Hon Tariana Turia, to achieve the priorities of Government.

Noho ora mai rā koutou katoa.

Hon Georgina te Heuheu QSO
Associate Minister of Maori Affairs

 

Tēnā koutou ngā iwi, ngā rōpū, me ngā whānau ka whaiwāhi ki ngā kaupapa a Whānau Ora.

Whānau Ora is an inclusive, culturally anchored approach that has been developed from a philosophical basis with a single overarching aim of best outcomes for whānau. The Whānau Ora approach is distinctive in that it recognises the collective nature and way in which whānau organise and asserts a positive role for whānau within society. At a practical level, it includes an integrated approach to contracting between government and service providers.

The Whānau Ora approach will continue to evolve over time. The first few years of implementation is expected to have impacts on:

• a number of providers of services to whānau;
• on those government agencies that fund service delivery to whānau;
• on those whānau who engage with those services; and
• more broadly through building the capability of whānau to be more self-managing.

Tracking the practice and action arising from this approach will be undertaken through a range of research and monitoring activities.

Te Puni Kōkiri has been tasked as the lead agency for the implementation of Whānau Ora and will have direct accountability for the specific Whānau Ora appropriations. It will work very closely with the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Health in supporting the Whānau Ora Governance Group to facilitate the implementation of Whānau Ora.

Specific responsibilities will involve coordinating efforts with the Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Health at a national and regional level; leading the Expressions of Interest process; administering Whānau Ora funding through Vote Māori Affairs; and providing support for the Governance Group and Regional Leadership Groups.

Te Puni Kōkiri will also lead the development and coordination of the overall research, monitoring and evaluation components, working closely with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development.

I am confident that the work of the Governance Group established to assist in the implementation of Whānau Ora will significantly guide the success of Whānau Ora. In its composition the group retains the vital and direct link to the people which will keep us connected to whānau, while also benefiting from the expertise of the agencies involved.

Mā te mahi pono o te Whānau Ora, ka puta ngā whāinga pai mō ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa.

Hon Tariana Turia
Minister Responsible for Whānau Ora

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