NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Kahu

Māori Covid money coming soon as virus found in Taranaki

Whanganui Chronicle
2 Dec, 2021 09:30 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Minister for Māori Crown Relations Kelvin Davis visited Taranaki on Thursday. Photo / NZME

Minister for Māori Crown Relations Kelvin Davis visited Taranaki on Thursday. Photo / NZME

As Covid-19 returns to Taranaki, the Government says money for iwi and hapū to respond will likely be given out within a couple of weeks.

On Thursday three cases of Covid in New Plymouth were announced – one adult and two children from the same family.

Sixty million dollars has been earmarked for iwi, hapū and Māori organisations to protect communities as the virus becomes endemic across the country.

Visiting Taranaki the day the cases came to light, the Minister for Māori Crown Relations Kelvin Davis said he and fellow ministers Peeni Henare and Willie Jackson want the money spent.

"We really just want to get the money out quickly - it's a high trust model."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It comes on top of another $60 million already largely distributed to boost Māori Covid vaccination.

"One of big questions that has come up in the last few weeks is how do we prepare our people. If somebody is at home in bed, how do we keep the rest of the whānau safe, how do we toilet them, shower them, how do we isolate if necessary?"

Davis said the ministers are willing to hear all sorts of proposals.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We're accepting applications from iwi and Māori organisations and they just need to lay out what the money's for. If we can agree yeah that's a good idea we just want to give it the tick and get the money out the door."

He says the first announcement will come before Christmas.

"That's my expectation… we just want to get it done – I'd like to think in a week or so."

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer of Ngāti Ruanui said the Government ministers needed to keep the pressure on Taranaki DHB to support Māori efforts.

Discover more

New Zealand

South Taranaki water restrictions 'likely' - council

02 Dec 03:00 AM
Kahu

Iwi offers $15,000 prize pool for Covid 19 vaccinations

01 Dec 03:00 AM
New Zealand

Whanganui's first day of Covid traffic light system

03 Dec 12:30 AM

"What Kelvin needs to do is tell the DHB to take its knee off our resourcing throat and let Māori get on with what we're doing."

Davis said he wanted to push back against the idea that DHBs can't look after people.

"Our health system has been under immense pressure and they've done a fantastic job at keeping that [death] rate down.

"I think she undermines the health message because on one hand they're saying get vaccinated and on the other hand they're saying don't trust the Government.

"So it gives mixed messages and it creates distrust of the Government and I think that's harmful."

Ngarewa-Packer said Māori were talking across the country to share the best ways of coping with endemic Covid.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said Te Whānau o Waipareira in Auckland and leaders in Waikato and Te Arawa had vital experience and practices which will be brought to Taranaki.

"We don't profess to know it all, we need to learn from each other, and there is a tuakana-teina relationship in that Tāmaki Makaurau has had a hundred-plus days experience."

"Various iwi across Taranaki certainly have been talking about the support that's required when we go into isolation, talking about the welfare support that's required."

Ngarewa-Packer said Māori needed to stay positive and focused on the best ways to care for all whānau, vaccinated or not.

Ngāruahine Covid-19 response communications lead Te Aorangi Dillon said there were active discussions about how to help whānau with Covid and how to utilise marae.

"We will do it ourselves if we have to, but we need to be properly resourced to do these sorts of thing effectively and quickly."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Dillon said for weeks the iwi had been encouraging whānau to create their own plan for when Covid was at their door.

"The feedback we have had is that actually whānau want to deal with this themselves."

"Some whānau will want to go into MIQ or self-isolate very separately from everyone else – but some of our mums are saying we actually want to look after our kids ourselves, let us do that in the safest way possible."

Dillon said marae would likely be hubs of community support, although it wasn't yet clear how each would respond.

"We've seen it happening up north where they're starting to put portacoms on marae in order to support whānau who may have covid – that is something we would definitely consider."

She said there needed to be whānau ready for daily checks on the sick.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Most of the families we work with probably would prefer to only hear from us, rather than say DHB staff."

"The system has already let people down in Tāmaki, they've gone home and they've died because they haven't been checked up on."

"So you need to resource organisations like ours to be doing that sort of checking and support."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Kahu

Kahu

Family of man who died after incident with police push for officer body cameras

21 Jun 06:04 PM
New Zealand

'We'll keep the fire burning': Ngāti Oneone remains committed to land reclamation protest

20 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
Property

'Māori are long-term investors' - learning from success and failure working with iwi

20 Jun 12:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Kahu

Family of man who died after incident with police push for officer body cameras

Family of man who died after incident with police push for officer body cameras

21 Jun 06:04 PM

A petition for police body cameras has gained nearly 15,000 signatures.

'We'll keep the fire burning': Ngāti Oneone remains committed to land reclamation protest

'We'll keep the fire burning': Ngāti Oneone remains committed to land reclamation protest

20 Jun 05:00 PM
Premium
'Māori are long-term investors' - learning from success and failure working with iwi

'Māori are long-term investors' - learning from success and failure working with iwi

20 Jun 12:00 AM
Rewi Spraggon explains Puanga, Matariki’s older brother

Rewi Spraggon explains Puanga, Matariki’s older brother

19 Jun 10:00 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP