Maori values adoptable, says Turia

Tariana Turia. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia has defended her Whanau Ora policy from claims she is refusing to extend it to non-Maori, saying it is not her place to impose Maori values on others.

Labour deputy leader Annette King said yesterday that Mrs Turia and the Prime Minister were clearly at odds over the policy after Mrs Turia said non-Maori should develop their own version but Mr Key said it must be available to all groups in need - not just Maori.

The policy is expected to roll out from July and will see private organisations - such as trusts - take over the health and social services needs of family within their communities from government departments.

Yesterday, Mrs Turia denied she was trying to defy Mr Key and said Labour was trying to taint the policy for political points.

She supported extending the concept but said others should be able to develop their own version of it rather than be forced into the Whanau Ora model which might not suit their family structures.

"It is a concept that can be translated to meet the needs of other communities, but I'm not going to tell them how these things should happen," Mrs Turia said.

"If I impose this on non-Maori I will get criticised for that as well. I can't win.

"All I'm saying is that Whanau Ora is specifically geared towards Maori families because that's who they consulted with.

"I'm not in favour of imposing the Maori viewpoint on the rest of New Zealand."

She said that while some - such as Pacific people - shared the same extended family culture as Maori, others did not.

The taskforce set up to consider implementing it had been instructed to look at how it might work for Maori in particular so had consulted mostly with Maori and developed its proposals from a Maori world-view that might not fit with others.

She said the taskforce's recommendations would be considered by the Government but the final shape and extent of the scheme would not be known until negotiations ended.

The taskforce led by Sir Mason Durie presented its final report to the Government yesterday at a private ceremony. It has not been released, but is expected to be within three weeks.

Mrs Turia confirmed the taskforce's proposals included setting up an independent trust to oversee Whanau Ora, getting its own appropriation from the Government, managing providers and reporting to a specific minister.