“The imminent abolition of the Māori Health Authority will bring the health system closer to ACT’s ideal of services delivered based on New Zealanders’ needs, not racial identity,” says ACT Health spokesman Todd Stephenson.
“With ACT’s coalition pledge to disestablish the Māori Health Authority included in the Government’s 100-day plan, New Zealanders can expect legislation to be introduced early this year.
“The Māori Health Authority experiment has been disastrous waste of half a billion dollars. It failed to hire for critical skills because it was too focused on hiring based on race, it sacked half its board, and above all it created resentment and division among New Zealanders.
“Using race to determine who gets access to health services is painting with an awfully broad brush. Elevating race above factors like age, income group, geographic location, and personal medical history inevitably detracts from the principle of needs-based public healthcare, meaning someone, somewhere, in desperate need misses out.
“The emphasis should be fitting services to every individual, from every background. Our population is more diverse than just Māori and non-Māori.
“ACT’s coalition agreement also secured a commitment to examine the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) and Otago equivalent to determine if they are delivering desired outcomes for users of health services.
“And as Associate Minister for Health, David Seymour is working to unwind the red tape that denies Kiwis access to life-saving medicines.”