Doctors urge new government to retain Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority

Wednesday, 29 November 2023

The incoming prime minister, alongside ACT leader David Seymour and NZ First leader Winston Peters, has unveiled the coalition agreement between the three political parties.

Physicians across Aotearoa and Australia are urging the new government to retain Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority.

National, ACT and New Zealand First formed a coalition government on Friday with all three parties agreeing to abolish the authority.

The previous Labour government established Te Aka Whai Ora in July 2022 to ensure the health system met the needs of Māori.

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) advocates on behalf of more than 20,000 physicians and 9000 trainee physicians.

President Dr Stephen Inns said RACP supported the creation of Te Aka Whai Ora as a step towards transformative change in the health system.

The coalition government, led by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and 2025’s Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, has agreed to abolish Ta Aka Whai Ora – the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is calling for a rethink on that.

'We recognise our shared responsibility to close the gap in health outcomes for Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand and strongly support a by Māori for Māori approach at every level in healthcare,” he said.

'A commitment to Te Tiriti principles of tino rangatiratanga, active protection, partnership, options and equity in healthcare has been long overdue, and Te Aka Whai Ora is an opportunity for this to occur.'

National criticised Te Aka Whai Ora during the election campaign for creating more bureaucracy, and promised to replace it with a Māori health directorate inside the Ministry of Health.

“I want to start by acknowledging the genuine commitment of everyone who has worked hard to support Te Aka Whai Ora since its inception,” Health Minister Shane Reti said.

Health Minister Shane Reti says he is committed to disestablishing the Māori Health Authority, and wants to improve health to benefit all, including Māori.

'While each of the coalition partners did include the disestablishment in its manifesto, and we are committed to it as a priority, we must proceed with this in a respectful way.'

Reti said he is focused on establishing clear targets, boosting the frontline workforce and providing improved health to benefit all, including Māori.

“What is also important is ensuring that decision-making and funding in this space can still happen close to home and to hapū,” he said.

Inns said the RACP was looking forward to working with Reti to address issues with the health system.

Among its priorities were recruiting more medical and healthcare students, especially Māori and Pasifika; improving health equity for Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa; and ensuring healthcare was environmentally sustainable and culturally safe.

“The College acknowledges the enormous strain the healthcare system is under, particularly regarding severe workforce shortages,” Innes said.

“The RACP is pleased that the incoming government has promised to invest in a third medical school, increasing the number of medical graduates in our health system. This is a welcome first step towards addressing chronic healthcare workforce shortages.”