Minister Shane Reti says Māori health will be front of mind for incoming commissioner

The Minister of Health, Shane Reti, has given an assurance that Māori health will be front of mind for Te Whatu Ora’s new commissioner.

Reti sacked the two remaining board members of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora on Monday and appointed its recently-installed chair, Lester Levy, to run the organisation as a commissioner on a 12-month contract.

In his letter of expectation and in their discussions he told Levy to work with the Hauora Māori Advisory Committee.

“That will be his deepest connection into hauora Māori and I’ve spoken with the chair of that committee as well and both embracing that relationship and in fact have worked together in the past so I’ve kept Māori health very much in front of mind and made sure in this new structure that Māori health is at the table,” Reti says.

There will also be opportunities in the new structure for the Iwi Māori Partnership Boards, who he met in Rotorua two weeks ago.

Levy could elevate Māori health right to the top table by appointing a Māori to one of his deputy roles.

Gideon Porter, Waatea.News.Com