Whānau Ora happy to work alongside Government after slight budget boost

Whānau Ora CEO John Tamihere. Photo / NZME

Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency CEO John Tamihere is pleased yesterday’s Budget means the service can continue to deliver at the same level to communities throughout Te Ika-a-Māui and says its relationship with the Government is strong.

While spending has been slashed across all government departments, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency (WOCA) budget was slightly increased from $181.7 million to $182.3m for the coming fiscal year

For 10 years, Whānau Ora has been delivering services the community needs and has a record that’s second to none when it comes to outcomes and social return on investment, Tamihere said.

“I’ve had many interactions with our Whānau Ora Minister, Tama Potaka, which have been very positive as this is an evidence-based agency. We’ve proven ourselves and the Budget is an indication of that,” Tamihere said.

Whānau Ora Chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait.

“We have been front and centre in our communities year after year. We are and always will be ahead of the curve delivering a range of services that whānau need. Now we can continue to work at our current level supporting people through these challenging times, especially as we head into the colder months”.

Whānau Ora chair Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said the Government recognised the good work the agency does.

“The value of our Whānau Ora collective has been recognised by this coalition Government so they wouldn’t want to compromise all of that work with the communities we engage with every day. We have demonstrated our worth and shown the long-term positive effects our services and support has on whānau,” she said.

“We do far more than any Government department in terms of helping whānau, particularly those who are vulnerable and isolated. People know they won’t get shunted along to someone else, that we are right there with them. We are known, we are trusted and we deliver.”