He said rapid responses were needed and getting support to where it mattered most was time critical. Marae and Iwi had paid out of their own funds to support their communities, Jackson said.
“We know that iwi and hapori Māori mobilise quickly in times of crisis and have the ability to provide essential support and manaaki whānau Māori and the wider community,” he said.
“There is urgent need to continue these efforts already under way and to increase iwi and Māori-led coordinated responses and recovery.”
Jackson told the Herald this was “not special treatment for Māori.
“In times of crisis Marae and Iwi jump straight in to help and support their communities, and this fund is to acknowledge and fill some of the gaps and acknowledge iwi who have put their hands in their Treaty settlement pockets to support the entire community - not just Māori,” Jackson said.
“We have marae that need repairs, urupa that need repairs, and this fund fills the gap. This money is just the start. We had to come out with a payment for these areas where populations have been hit hard and need immediate injection of funds.”
Jackson admitted Māori can also apply for support through the mainstream agencies but “this is a unique set of circumstances.
“This not special treatment but we have cultural obligations and we want to fill the gaps.”
Part of this new $15m investment will enable Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies to continue to manage and co-ordinate Māori and Pacific responses to Cyclone Gabrielle, as well as the redeployment of resources to impacted regions.
Whānau Ora Minister Henare said this package would support an integrated, culturally appropriate and whānau-centred approach to coordinate support to whānau.
“Whānau Ora Commissioning Agencies have been working with affected whānau to link them to all forms of support including temporary accommodation, access to medication, the coordination and distribution of donations and supplies, mental and physical health support, and assistance with accessing insurance and applicable relief support funding.
“They provide holistic support to whānau, ensuring access to support is simple and efficient,” Henare said.
This investment will support a range of efforts including providing relief workers, planning and co-ordination of recovery and clean up and purchase of replacement equipment and storage for food and taonga.
The funding will be split as follows:
· $9 million to be distributed through Te Puni Kōkiri, an agency that is able to leverage its experience and relationships to support response efforts in Māori communities
· $3 million will be distributed through Whānau Ora to fund Commissioning Agencies to manage and co-ordinate responses, to augment and deploy resources to impacted regions
· $3 million will be distributed through Te Arawhiti to support direct iwi partnerships and relationship activities, strategic leadership and co-ordination.
Agencies will remain in close contact with providers as the recovery progresses to gauge the level of additional funding that will be needed in the future.
“This funding also allows for Iwi to start building their resilience across their networks, which is crucial not just for this response but also to any future natural disasters,” Minister of Te Arawhiti: Māori-Crown Relations Kelvin Davis said.
“Māori communities know how to respond in times like these, it is our job to make sure they are well-equipped to do so.”
Today’s package sits alongside a suite of supports that Government has swiftly put in place including:
· Civil Defence payments to help affected whānau with food, bedding, clothing and temporary accommodation, available through Work and Income
· Farmer and grower recovery funding to help whenua Māori owners and other farmers undertake urgent work such as fencing, clearing silt and repairing water infrastructure for livestock, available through MPI, and
· Community support packages to help supplement the existing work of community groups and social sector providers of food and other services to whānau, available through MSD.
