Beneficiaries of race-based funding

By RUTH BERRY

National confirms it will swing the axe in the area of race-based funding but it refused to give the Weekend Herald answers on most of the 10 programmes listed, saying it has yet to develop its policy.

* Te Mangai Paho is a Crown entity established by National in 1993 to recognise the Crown's broadcasting responsibilities regarding the Maori language and Maori culture.

Essentially the Maori version of NZ On Air, TMP finances the production of television programmes in the Maori language and about Maori in English. It also funds some Maori-language CDs and the national network of Maori radio stations. Its budget is just under $40 million.


* Special Housing Action Zones - bridging finance for papakainga. This Reducing Inequality initiative, run by Te Puni Kokiri and Housing New Zealand, has a four-year, $1.15 million budget.

It is designed for Maori communities occupying their papakainga (original home base) or living on Maori land in multiple ownership, but is theoretically available to other groups.

It provides two-year, interest-free loans to groups to build houses to sell on to families. It is one of 11 programmes aimed to improve housing for low-income people.

* Decile Funding for Schools. The present system, introduced by National in 1995, gives schools in under-privileged areas extra funding. The worst-off schools are rated decile one and get an extra $682 a year a student. Decile 10 schools get none of this funding.

Six factors determine decile rating including: household income, household crowding, parents' occupations, their educational qualifications, income support payment and Maori and Pacific Island ethnicity. Independent research claims that removing the ethnicity factor would result in little change to the funding spread.

* TeachNZ Scholarships. These $10,000 scholarships are available to people from rural areas wanting to teach in rural schools or to aspiring Maori or Pacific teachers. About 500 were awarded last year.

National initiated the Pacific scholarships and Labour expanded the scheme. The Government will next year fold the ethnic scholarships into a new "step-up" programme for tertiary assistance, based on parental income only.

Other $10,000 scholarships for aspiring biology, chemistry, computing, English, maths, physical education (PE), physics, and te reo Maori teachers will remain.

* Improving Responsiveness of Education to Maori. This is a Reducing Inequality Ministry of Education initiative to shift teacher beliefs and practices to improve the teaching of Maori. It is targeted at Maori students and has a $2.5 million budget. The pilot was extended after research showed programmes were resulting in significant improvements in performance of Maori students.

* Maori Organisational Development Assistance programme. This is a Reducing Inequality capacity-building initiative targeting Maori, with a $6 million, four-year budget.

Run by the Community Employment Group (CEG), it aims to help existing Maori organisations improve their ability to achieve employment and enterprise results for their community. CEG, which works with communities to improve employment opportunities, also has targeted Pacific people, women and youth programmes.


* Whanau Development Initiatives. This is another Reducing Inequality capacity-building initiative run by the Social Development Ministry. It is targeted to Maori with a $3 million budget, and was given another $1 million last year.

Its aim is to strengthen communities and it ran at 12 sites last year. It has been used to: hold marae-based course teaching traditional practices; establish marae vegetable gardens with the aim of selling products to fund marae developments; set up skill development programmes, including computer skills and business start-up advice.

* Work Track Extension Programme to Maori and Pacific Islanders. This Reducing Inequality Social Development Ministry initiative has developed a Work Track Programme for Maori and Pacific people at risk of long-term unemployment.

It offers employment assistance including provision of offices with resources and computers and has a $9 million, four-year budget.

* Community Education Initiatives to Reduce Family Violence and Child Abuse.

This Child Youth and Family Reducing Inequality initiative targets Maori and Pacific Islanders and has a $10.3 million, four-year budget.

It finances Pacific and iwi and Maori providers for initiatives to reduce family violence. Its activities include group and individual education programmes, counselling, home-based support and programmes for youth at risk. Other mainstream initiatives exist.

* Maori Smoking Reduction Initiative. This is a Reducing Inequality initiative with a four-year, $20 million budget to specifically reduce Maori smoking.

Other funding exists for mainstream programmes. It involves the expansion of the pre-existing Aukati Kai Paipa programme focused on Maori women to include whanau-based programmes. It also pays for training new service providers and expansion of the Quit/Me Mutu mass media campaign targeting Maori smokers.

Herald Feature: Sharing a Country