Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka says he wants transparency from the new agencies. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka is seeking transparency as he unveils four new commissioning agencies that will co-ordinate national support services.
It comes amid a review into the use of public funds through previous agencies relating to an advertisement encouraging Māori to sign up to the Māori electoral roll andfunding for Super Rugby franchise, Moana Pasifika.
The four new agencies, which would begin commissioning support services from providers starting tomorrow, were Rangitāmiro (upper North Island), Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira (lower North Island including Bay of Plenty and the East Coast), Te Tauraki (South Island), and the Cause Collective (focus on Pacific peoples).
Speaking from Hongoeka Marae in Porirua today, Potaka said the refresh dubbed “Whānau Ora 2.0″ was “timely” given the existing contracts with previous agencies had lasted a decade.
“We also need to see a bit of a step change in how we consider evidence around the delivery of Whānau Ora services and ensuring that there’s a real critical alignment between the investment of taxpayers’ funds, doing it in a very transparent and improved audited way, and the achievement of outcomes.”
Potaka wouldn’t comment on whether previous agencies hadn’t met his expectations.
Last week, Potaka sought an urgent review through Te Puni Kōkiri after an ad funded by Te Pou Matakana Limited, otherwise known as the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, was released with the intention to grow the number of people on the Māori roll.
NZ First Minister Shane Jones criticised the ad as being too closely aligned with Te Pāti Māori. One of the party’s central messages was for more Māori to switch from the general roll.
Whānau Ora Minister Tama Potaka called for a review into the use of funding. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Potaka later said he had asked Te Puni Kōkiri, which managed funding for Whānau Ora, to review the ad and ensure public money had not been used for “electioneering”.
“If public funding which has been set up to help whānau in need has been used for electioneering, that is unacceptable.”
It preceded revelations Whānau Ora funding was tied to the Moana Pasifika Super Rugby team.
While the matter had been included in the review, the owners of the franchise have rejected any suggestion public funding was used to prop up the team.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today told HeraldNow the allegations were “incredibly serious” and endorsed the review.
Potaka today said he wouldn’t speculate on the allegations, instead referring to the ongoing review.
Adam Pearse is the Deputy Political Editor and part of the NZ Herald’s Press Gallery team based at Parliament in Wellington. He has worked for NZME since 2018, reporting for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei and the Herald in Auckland.
