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To: NZ Parliament

Māori self-determination for Health

We call for the Government to adopt Māori commissioning by the Māori Health Authority. This will be a transformational way to achieve health equity as outlined in the majority 'alternate' view by the Expert Panel of the Health and Disability System Review.

Why is this important?

Please refer to our video documenting delivery of this petition here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_662YzLuZMA&feature=emb_logo

At this time of the covid virus we can be especially thankful that our publicly funded health system in Aotearoa New Zealand is among the best in the world.

However the health system doesn't work the same for everyone. Māori whānau and communities are treated unfairly in the current model and experience severe and persistent health inequities. A fair society means everyone participates in enhancing our social, economic and educational activities, which builds collective confidence and safety. We all benefit in a fair society that is more prosperous and harmonious.
https://youtu.be/sFlM5B008Ts
More Videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2v0dLjHVJL1UqCe7T-n3WQ
Māori kids and adults visit a health professional the same as or more than non-Māori. Yet the outcomes across the population are different. For example, Māori women are dying at two times the rate as non-Māori from breast cancer, four times in cervical cancer and five times more in lung cancer.

The recommendation of 10 of 12 health experts who were tasked with a two year investigation of unfairness in our health system and how to address this, concluded a Māori Health Authority with commissioning rights was the best approach.

This means an Authority that will have the autonomy to control, make decisions, and determine how to spend health dollars most appropriately for Māori.

In order to provide the same high outcome for everyone our health system needs to be informed by Māori needs and Māori decision making. Māori must be able to enact rangatiratanga (self determination) to best meet the needs of their own communities.

Such an approach will result in diverse options for everyone. For example, a Mātauranga Māori commissioning frame recognises the inseparability of health, education, environment, income, and civic responsibilities.

This world-leading approach honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi which lays out terms of settlement. Te Tiriti is how we achieve a society where improved health is protected for every person, whānau, and social group regardless of social advantage and disadvantage.

Though the government has accepted the creation of a Māori Health Authority, they rejected commissioning rights for the Authority. Without commissioning rights, the Māori Health Authority is subordinate to the Crown's representative, the Ministry of Health.

Add your name today to call on our government to give Māori commissioning to the Māori Health Authority and ensure equal health outcomes for everyone in Aotearoa.

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References

The New Zealand Health and Disability System Review https://systemreview.health.govt.nz/

"We have now some quite good evidence that racism at a range of levels does determine access, experience and outcomes in the healthcare system." Dr Ashley Blomfield, to the Waitangi Tribunal in 2018
Racist health system no cure for sick Māori, July 2019 https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/113917099/racist-health-system-no-cure-for-sick-maori

'We have totally failed': Rheumatic fever: The Third World disease entrenched in New Zealand, Aug 2020
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/122260447/we-have-totally-failed-rheumatic-fever-the-third-world-disease-entrenched-in-new-zealand

National Urban Māori Authority calls for Māori self-determination in health https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/300036653/national-urban-mori-authority-calls-for-mori-selfdetermination-in-health

Māori should have a stand-alone health system https://www.facebook.com/TeAoMaoriNews/videos/3592536994197158

Public Health Association calls for the Minister of Health to intervene and support the Māori Health Authority alternative commissioning framework https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/public-health-association-calls-minister-health-intervene-and-support-maori

How it will be delivered

Please check out the delivery of this petition to MP Hon Rawiri Waititi on Wednesday, Feb 24th at 10h00 on the steps of Parliament. Please refer to our video documenting delivery of this petition here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_662YzLuZMA&feature=emb_logo

Links

Updates

2022-01-28 16:45:23 +1300

Next Wed Feb 2nd, 12 - 12h30pm: Are you free to join our oral submission on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill? Look out for an email with more information about how you can contribute to a submission to inform how the Pae Ora Bill is formed.

2022-01-28 16:45:10 +1300

Thank you for all the input for the written submission, delivered on Dec 9th 2021, with the following recommendations:
• Pae Ora as a concept requires defining by mana whenua, in order that our health system is fair for everyone and recognises the inseparability of health, education, environment, income and civic responsibilities;
• 'Te Tiriti o Waitangi' reference only;
• Membership on all health boards and advisory committees require Māori representation;
• Māori Health Authority's share of Vote Health is mandated to be equitable;
• Hauora Māori committee is in partnership with the Minister of Health;
• Hauora Māori committee has veto rights of a Minister's decision; and,
• Health implications of international treaties and agreements, signed by Aotearoa New Zealand, are mandated to be converted into law.

2021-11-21 17:18:57 +1300

Look out for an email with a question to consider and respond to (via Poll):

Should we submit to select committee of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill by Dec 9th, that the Hauora Māori committee must be a partnership, rather than advisory, to give authentic effect to the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi?

The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill provides commissioning authority for the Māori Health Authority, though the Bill retains the Minister of Health as the single authority for the health system. This is an opportunity to implement a Te Tiriti based sector for our society, which requires partnership at every level: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/scl/pae-ora-legislation/

2021-10-20 12:25:25 +1300

Keep an eye out for media reports on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill that was introduced to Parliament today. You can check-in with the timeline for this Bill here: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_116317/tab/digest Once the Bill is available to be reviewed, we can consider our role in the select committee phase. Please consider reviewing other actions you can do here: https://actionstation.org.nz/tautoko/to-speak-up

2021-09-02 20:26:28 +1200

Tune into the webinar next week- Health and wellbeing: tuning into the Māori Health Authority, to consider how we can collectively advocate for these health reforms to achieve the aspirations of fair healthcare for us all. https://actionstation.org.nz/tautoko/hauora-detail?utm_source=actionstation&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blast2392&source=actionstation&bucket=blast2392

You can also email: [email protected] at the Transition Unit to find out about the "many opportunities to contribute to the detailed design of our future health system."

2021-09-02 20:17:53 +1200

Since the government's bold and promising announcements about the formation of a Māori Health Authority that has commissioning power, the 'Transition Unit' (https://dpmc.govt.nz/our-business-units/transition-unit/response-health-and-disability-system-review) is shaping up the reforms. Their recommendations will then go to the Ministers and will likely need legislation, which requires a process through Parliament that includes a select committee. We received the final report to our petition: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/reports/document/SCR_111703/petition-of-anameka-paenga-m%C4%81ori-commissioning-for-the which concludes that we could next advocate for robust legislation for the Māori Health Authority by a submission, with recommendations, to the select committee when that stage is reached.

2021-04-21 20:51:47 +1200

Today's announcements by our Government are bold and promising! Our collective voice was heard, and the path is now laid out for how our transformed health system will be fair for us all. We now must support our Government to protect these aspirations with separate legislation that ensures the Māori Health Authority has a well-resourced commissioning function beyond the next election cycle. Our petition's submission awaits consideration by the Māori Affairs Committee. Ngā mihi nui, team!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/440956/maori-health-authority-details-of-funding-commissioning-rights-sought

2021-04-10 21:43:46 +1200

Ngā mihi nui team! With your words to guide, a written submission on our petition was sent to the Petitions Committee to provide more information about what we want our petition to achieve and why, along with supporting expert material. Check out the documents that were submitted: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bszfpd5bvz86106/AADSw4g-NhvsHgV7YBNBl0p5a?dl=0

2021-03-31 10:49:38 +1300

We have been invited to provide a written submission to expand on what this petition aims to achieve and why. The submission is due to be submitted April 9th 2021 to the Petitions Committee. Please let us know why you've signed this petition, and spread the word! We will include your responses as part of this submission. Ngā mihinui!

2021-02-22 19:33:53 +1300

The time has finally come to present this petition! We are delighted that Hon. Rawiri Waititi has agreed to receive this petition, THIS WEEK on Wed, Feb 24th at 10h00 on the steps of parliament. If you are in Wellington, please come along to support this presentation! https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/maori-commissioning-for-the-maori-health-authority-the-alternate-view/events Next, we will continue to follow the course of this petition through Parliament, so please keep spreading the word about this important issue.

2021-01-27 08:53:53 +1300

1,000 signatures reached

2021-01-25 13:44:15 +1300

500 signatures reached

2020-12-01 22:19:31 +1300

Grass-roots support is growing despite no media coverage. To most effectively request our Government consider this petition, public awareness needs to be raised. Therefore, this petition will now be delivered in Feburary 2021 so that we can focus our attentions over summer, on raising public awareness and gaining media attention. Please share and spread the word!

2020-11-27 10:32:34 +1300

The petition will be delivered soon!
https://our.actionstation.org.nz/events/petition-delivery-maori-self-determination-for-health

2020-09-02 06:51:04 +1200

100 signatures reached